


fortune and glory

by IronPengu, parkrstark



Series: Dr. Indiana Jones-- er, Capt. Steven Rogers [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Cults, Human Sacrifice, Infinity Gems, Inspired by Indiana Jones, M/M, Mind Control, Period-Typical Homophobia, Poisoning, Poorly written action sequences, Protective Steve Rogers, Sexual Tension, Slavery, Whipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:01:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 29,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24927361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IronPengu/pseuds/IronPengu, https://archiveofourown.org/users/parkrstark/pseuds/parkrstark
Summary: It’s 1935 and Steve Rogers finds himself thrown into a job of returning a sacred infinity stone and missing children to an African village he stumbles across. This is his job, so it should be simple, but he’s got the company of an orphan that he now sees as his own kid and a spoiled rich man that makes each step of this adventure a dramatic affair. But Steve puts up with it all because this could be the one that makes him famous. He’s been searching for fortune and glory his entire career, but it isn’t until this mission that he starts to realize maybe he isn’t going to find it at the end of the adventure because it’s been there, besides him, the entire time.Or, the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom AU no one asked for.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Steve Rogers, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Dr. Indiana Jones-- er, Capt. Steven Rogers [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1836544
Comments: 81
Kudos: 172





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Finally this is going up! I've been wanting to write this since last year and I finally did. This is an Superfamily AU of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. If you haven't seen the movie, that's alright. I'm sure you know the basic of Indiana Jones. But if you have seen it, I've changed and added/taken away scenes so you won't be reading a transcript of the movie. I watch this movie more than Coco recently to get ideas and inspiration. I fall asleep to it almost every night. I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

_ Italy, 1935 _

Steve looked around the party full of the richest Italians in the country. No matter how many times he found himself surrounded by people like this, he still didn’t feel like one of them. He wasn’t a rich boy with a multi-thousand dollar suit. 

He was an explorer, an adventurer. Albeit, a controlled one.

Fury told him where to go and what to do. One day, he’d be on his own. He’d find his fortune and glory and he’d be free to be on his own. But for now, he was stuck in the same routine.

He got the job done. He was one of the best agents in Fury’s team. It was a catch 22. Because of this, he could choose the better missions, but it also meant Fury didn’t want him to go anywhere. He was too valuable. Not that Steve could make it on his own without Fury and the missionis he gave him. 

His most recent mission was finding some special element that his client needed to build something. Steve didn’t ask questions. He just found what was asked for, received his payment, and left for the next mission. 

His contact let him know that the man he was looking for was sitting at the middle table with three candles. He immediately knew it was Obadiah Stane by looking at the man with two other men in suits on each side of him. 

Steve straightened his suit jacket as he walked through the ballroom, past plenty of dames in beautiful dresses and flashy diamonds. He kept his eyes in front of him so the diamonds weren’t distracting from his mission. 

He took a seat across from him with confidence he didn't necessarily have. "Stane," he said in greeting. There was no need for anything more formal. 

"Captain Rogers." Then he turned to his men and said, "Questo è il famoso capitano Rogers?" He paused and looked Steve up and down. "Mi aspettavo qualcuno...più duro."

Steve raised his eyebrows and replied easily, "Bene, hai sentito parlare di me. Chi sei di nuovo?"

Stane narrowed his eyes. "You speak Italian, Captain Rogers?" 

"I speak many languages, but I don't like to show off." Steve smirked. 

"I'll have to remember that for next time," he said, swirling his drink around in his cup. 

Steve's smirk turned into a grin. He didn't plan on a next time, but he stayed polite. "Good plan." 

"Yes, well…" He trailed off. "You have what I asked for, yes?" 

Steve pulled out the lutetium he wanted and showed it to Stane. "Of course. Do you have the diamond?" 

One of Stane's men used more force than necessary to put a bag on the table. Before either of them could continue with the deal, there was a new voice behind them. "Did someone say diamond?" 

Steve knew better than to turn his attention away from someone in a situation like this, but the voice dragged him in. He glanced behind him and saw a young man standing next to him in a suit probably worth more than the diamond itself. His hair was gelled back against his head, but it looked good. His facial hair was trimmed neatly in a goatee that only he could wear so well. 

"Not for you, Tony," Stane said, waving his hand at the man next to him. He shoved forward the small bag and Steve reached for it. 

Inside, there were only coins. Not the diamond. He narrowed his eyes and shoved it back, some of the coins falling to the floor. "The diamond was what we decided on." 

Stane clenched his teeth and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a diamond, large enough to have the man, Tony, leaning closer. "The lutetium."

Steve took the metal out and said, "Give me the diamond." 

Stane huffed and shoved it across. The man grabbed it first, inspecting it. Steve then pushed his side of the deal across. 

Steve picked up the martini in front of him and took a sip before placing it back on the table. "Pleasure doing business, Stane." He plucked the diamond from the man's hand and stood up. He went to stand up until Stane and his men started chuckling. Steve froze. 

"No, Captain Rogers. It's  _ my _ pleasure." He had the wickedest of grins on his face. 

"What'd you do, Obie?" The man asked, sounding almost worried for Steve. 

"I didn't do anything," Stane said. "But he did. And I'll let him go if he wants, unless he wants the antidote." 

Steve growled as he leaned on the table. Each of the men next to Stane pulled out a pistol and pointed it at him. "What antidote?" 

"For the poison that was in your drink." 

Steve tugged the man next to him close to his side and used the steak knife on the table to press against his side. 

He let out a short yelp. "Obie, give him the antidote!" 

"As soon as I get my diamond." Stane looked unbothered by him being threatened. 

"I'll kill him!" Steve shouted, pressing the knife just deep enough to rip the fabric. 

"Obie!" 

"The diamond!" Stane didn't even look the man's way. 

Steve knew he couldn't kill him, he didn't take innocent lives, and Stane either knew that or he didn't care if this man was killed. He also knew he needed that antidote. Sweat was beading down his forehead and his hands were shaking. He didn’t need the diamond like he needed that antidote. 

Shoving the man out of his hold, he tossed the diamond to the table and held out his hand. The other one was holding tightly to the table to keep himself from falling over. While Stane and his men were now laughing as they stared at the diamond, glistening in the light of the ballroom. 

Steve saw the small vial sitting on the table, well, he saw two of them just like everything else. Taking a guess and hoping it was the right one, Steve leaped across the table and tried grabbing it. 

Unfortunately for him, he chose the wrong one. 

Within seconds, the chatter of the gala turned into chaos. He was shoved to the ground and just narrowly rolled out of the way of a bullet meant for his head. The gunshot alerted the guests to dangers and they all immediately began to run to the nearest exit. 

Their table was caught in the mob and Steve watched in horror as the vial went flying into the air. He tracked it until it disappeared in a crowd of people on the dance floor. Gracelessly, he pushed himself up to his elbows and started to crawl back towards where everyone was running away from. 

If the vial was lost or broken, he was a dead man. 

He stayed on the ground because he wasn’t strong enough to hold himself up and because it was a better way to find the vial. They were dozens of feet stomping around him, trying to escape. He didn’t see any sign of the vial. 

Being so intent on staring at the floor, he didn’t notice someone in front of him until he was hitting heads with them. He looked up and even through his blurry vision, he recognized the man from earlier. 

Steve grabbed his arm before he could crawl away. “Where’s the antidote?”

He snapped back less than a second later, “Where’s the diamond?”

Realizing that he wouldn’t be any help, Steve shoved past him and continued his search. His eyes caught sight of something bright blue on the ground and when he focused his sight on the spot only a few feet in front of him, he saw the vial. He quickened his pace as he felt the sweat drip down his face like a faucet. 

He was about to grab the vial when a high heel shoe came and kicked it out of the way in the owner’s haste to get to safety. Steve whirled around, falling to his side and watched as it rolled across the floor. He laid there a moment to swallow down the nausea before starting to go after it again. 

Suddenly, there was more gunfire and Steve cursed under his breath as he tried to avoid it without knowing where it was coming from. He didn’t know who this Stane guy was and why his men were so intent on killing him, but they weren’t going to succeed. 

He pushed himself up to his feet and wavered, falling into a serving cart. He was trying to catch his breath and regain his balance, but someone grabbed him by the shoulders and turned him around. He didn’t waste a second before sucker punching Steve so hard across the face that he fell back into the cart and he took it down to the ground with him. 

Before the man could shoot him while he was down, he blindly reached for something and his hand grabbed a plate. Steve threw it at the man’s head like it was a frisbee and it knocked him out before shattering to pieces on the ground. 

Steve only attracted more attention as he stumbled through the mess. He thanked God that none of these men were marksman and avoided the rain of bullets. He saw the vial again, just before it was grabbed by someone. Steve wipe the sweat off his face so he could see who took it. It was the man looking for the diamond, the one Steve threatened with a knife. 

Steve growled and grabbed a silver platter off of the floor, using it as a shield when people tried shooting at him. He didn’t have time to grab a gun and fight back, so he ran right for the man. He didn’t seem to care or notice the gunfire around him as he grabbed the diamond off of the floor next. 

This gave Steve the perfect opportunity to tackle the unsuspecting man. He didn’t stop running until they hit the glass window and they were sailing to the cement below. He heard the man screaming as they fell and Steve wrapped his arms around him, bracing them as they landed on a cloth awning. 

They rolled off it and fell only a few feet to the ground. Steve was already to his feet, dragging the man with him. 

“You’re insane!” The man shouted as Steve dragged him down the street, trying to get away before Stane’s men caught up with them. 

“Where is he?” Steve muttered, trying to hide in the shadows between two buildings. Thankfully, it was nighttime and was easier to hide. Unfortunately, his white suit was a stark contrast to the darkness around them. 

“Where’s who? Let me go!” 

“You’re not going anywhere with that antidote,” Steve seethed in his ear. The only thing keeping him from passing out was the adrenaline. 

“You made me drop the diamond in your suicide jump out that window. You’re not getting anything from me!” 

Steve was too busy glancing around the street anxiously to listen to him. It wasn’t until he saw the familiar car racing towards them that he relaxed. The car slammed to its brakes just as it reached them and Steve could practically smell the burning rubber. 

“Get in the car!” Steve order, shoving him forward. 

“I’m not going anywhere with you!” 

That was when the bullets started firing. 

“I’m getting in the car,” he said, quickly changing his mind. 

Steve pushed him inside and then shut the door as the bullets started firing. He looked to the front seat where he saw the person he’d been waiting for. His curly brown hair was curling up around the Mets hat he wore and he met Steve with a big smile, showing off his missing front tooth. 

“Just in time, Pip. Step on it!” 

“You got it, Captain Rogers!” Peter turned back around and used his foot, with a block tied to his sole, to press down on the gas pedal. 

“Why is a kid driving the car?” The man yelled, looking at Steve with wide brown eyes that looked just like Peter’s. 

Steve ignored the question and started to pat him down, searching for the pocket with the vial. He prayed that he still had it with him. 

“Stop-- what are you doing?” The man tried shoving Steve’s hands off of him, but he refused to give up. 

“The antidote! Give me the antidote!” 

“Why?”

“Because without me, you’re dead too!” Steve went back to feeling him underneath his suit jacket and felt it in his pocket. He reached into it and grabbed it while the man kept yelling. 

“What’s wrong, Captain Rogers?” Peter asked. 

“Focus on driving!” Steve ordered, feeling the car jerk as Peter grew distracted. While Peter straightened their course, Steve used his numb fingers to clumsily unscrew the cap to the vial and brought it to his lips. He drank every last drop before leaning against the car seat and breathing heavily, letting the antidote start to circulate through his body. He wanted to stop but couldn’t. Not when people were still shooting at him. 

Now that he felt the effects of the poison slowly draining, he reached under the seat for the gun he knew he stashed there before the party started. He stuck his head out of the window and started to fire behind him. When he needed to reload, he came back inside and did his best to ignore the other man’s screaming in the car. 

Peter couldn’t. “He’s so loud! Make him stop!” 

He only stopped screaming when bullets shattered the back window to the car. And then he started to scream louder. 

Steve rolled his eyes as he went back out the window and started firing at the tires of the car behind him. He hit one and made the tire pop, causing a car crash as they all collided into each other. 

Peter laughed as he watched the destruction from the rear view mirror. “Nice shot, Captain Rogers!” 

“The road, Pip. Watch the road!” 

Peter nodded his head, turning his head back to the road again. It wouldn’t stay there long. But thankfully, it didn’t need to. Soon, they were pulling up to the end of their decided route: a small airplane hangar where a small plane was waiting to bring them to safety. 

Their car crash gave them a head start so when they piled out of the car, there were no men waiting to shoot them with guns. Steve went to Peter and pushed him in front of himself so that in case they did come back, Peter was blocked. 

Steve also shoved him up the steps into the plane first and waited for him to be in there safely before turning to the man. Steve had everything he needed from him and the man’s home was here. There was no reason for him to come along. Still, he asked, “You coming with?”

The man was no longer as well-kept as he was in the beginning of the party. His gelled hair was mussed and there was a streak of dirt across his cheek that Steve had the odd desire to want to wipe off. He bit his lip and glanced behind his shoulder. 

Steve waved his hand impatiently. “I don’t have all day, doll. Coming or staying?” 

The man looked back at him and said, “I’m coming.” 

Steve grabbed his hand and dragged him into the plane. It was small and only meant for small freight deliveries, but it would fit the three of them until it could land in the meeting spot Fury had set up for him. 

They shut the door of the plane just in time as the bullets started to come raining down again. They had caught up to them, but it was too late. Steve kept his head in the window, laughing down at Stane as he stood there by their abandoned car. Steve even waved to him smugly as their plane lifted off into the air. 

Peter distracted him from his celebration. "I do good, Captain Rogers?" 

Steve turned around and smiled down at the little guy. "You sure did, Pipsqueak." 

Peter giggled before dropping the backpack he was wearing to the ground. He dropped to his knees and started to search through it. 

“Why was a child driving?”

Steve turned around to face the man that he really needed to remember the name of. He was obviously sticking around for a while and Steve couldn't keep referring to him as  _ the man.  _ Maybe the  _ devilishly handsome _ man. Steve's eyes did a quick once over of him in that silk suit and decided that was accurate enough. 

“Because I couldn’t trust him to come inside with me. You know the people that go to those parties. Watch out or else he’ll pick pocket you, and you won’t even know.” Steve took the clothes from Peter’s hands. He was smiling up at him like the little shit he was. “Yeah, I’m talking about you. I wouldn’t have been able to keep you from snatching all those diamonds and jewels.” 

Peter giggled some more as Steve pulled the bill of the hat down over his face. 

“Who  _ are  _ you?” The man asked, sounding so confused.

Steve turned his attention to the man and held out his hand. “Captain Steve Rogers. An agent sent out from an organization based out of America called SHIELD.” 

“SHIELD, yeah, I’ve heard of it.” The man tilted his head. “So you just make deals with criminals and collect your treasure.” 

“Not always criminals, but usually, they are. They get their hands on things that SHIELD wants and they can’t get without a little help. That’s where I come in.” Steve ran a hand through his gelled hair to muss it up to how he normally liked to keep it. “And what about you? Who're you?” He turned back to the man while Peter settled on the floor of the plane. 

“I’m Tony Stark. My father was partners with Obadiah Stane before he and my mom died in a car accident.” Steve knew his family had to be from some wealthy family by the looks of him. “Don’t do much though except for charm and socialize Obie’s guests.” 

_ “Obie _ seemed real keen on throwing you to the dogs the moment that he could,” Steve commented as he walked to the back of the plane with his change of clothes. 

“Yeah, well…” Tony started but didn’t finish. 

“You don’t have to go back. I’m heading back to the states, but you’re free to stay or take a plane back to Italy. Whatever you want.” He didn’t bother to try and hide himself as he started to strip from the suit he was wearing. 

It was white and obviously ruined from the gunfight and getaway, so there was no point in holding onto it. He was standing in only his underwear and glanced over his shoulder when he realized that Tony hadn't answered him. 

His eyes were glued to Steve's back until Steve was looking at him. He smirked and said, "Can I put my clothes back on or are you not done staring?" 

To his credit, Tony recovered smoothly. "Figured it was only fair after all the staring you were doing back at the gala." 

Steve rolled his eyes, the same eyes he used to stare at Tony many times. Then he began to pull on his pants and then buttoned up his shirt. He kept his leather jacket draped over his arm instead of pulling on even though it was cold in the plane. 

"Please. Don't flatter yourself, sweetheart," he said as he walked over to where Peter was curled up underneath one of the plane windows. He picked him up and leaned against a few cargo crates. Peter stayed curled against his chest and Steve covered him with his leather jacket like it was a blanket. 

"What are you doing?" Tony asked, standing a few feet away.

"What's it look like? We're getting some sleep. You probably should too. The flight is a few hours long." Steve grabbed his hat from where Peter left it by the backpack and placed it over his face. 

He shut his eyes as he heard Tony shuffling around next to them. He heard him grumbling a few curses under his breath as he probably attempted to get comfortable. 

Still with his eyes closed, Steve grinned and said, "Goodnight, doll." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations (from Google):  
> "This is the famous Captain Rogers? I was expecting someone...tougher."  
> "Well, at least you've heard of me. Who are you again?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update schedule will be Friday and Monday!

Tony didn't fall asleep on that plane at all. There was too much turbulence and he was used to the  _ best _ seats on a plane, not sleeping on the floor of a cargo plane. 

So when he heard a sudden commotion around them, he opened his eyes easily. Steve and the kid were still sound asleep across from him. The kid was curled up against his chest, his Mets hat covering his face just like Steve's was.

Two rushing men came in his view as they hurried to the back of the plane. Tony watched as they opened the door and jumped out without even a glance behind them. He assumed the backpacks on their backs were parachutes or else they were done for. 

Pushing himself off the ground, Tony hurried to his feet and looked inside the cockpit. It was empty. Outside the window, he saw the sky falling down as the plane started to descend. 

"Oh no," he breathed before turning around and falling to his knees by Steve. He grabbed him by the shoulders and began to shake him. "Steve! Wake up!" 

The kid woke up first after being jostled on Steve's chest. "That's Captain Rogers to you, doll!" 

Tony rolled his eyes. This kid was Steve's mini-me. It would be adorable if they weren't seconds away from crashing to their death. "Steve, wake up!" 

After another hard shake, Steve's blue eyes were fluttering open. An arm wrapped around the kid protectively as he took in his surroundings. Once his brain probably caught up with everything that happened, it loosened. "What?" 

"Pilot and co-pilot are no longer on board and I was hoping maybe you knew how to fly a plane."  _ Please. Please.  _

Steve didn't answer, but he got up to his feet and shoved the kid towards the bench in the plane. "Look for more parachutes, Pip. Hurry." 

The kid nodded and started to search through the plane as if he wasn't terrified of their plane about to crash. 

Tony followed Steve into the cockpit and watched as he took a seat but didn't grab the handles to steer the plane. "Do you know how to fly a plane?" 

Steve looked at the panel in front of him covered in an endless amount of buttons. "Um...not really."

"Not really?" Tony repeated incredulously. "So then what the hell are we going to do?" 

The kid came rushing back in and said, "There's no more parachutes. Just this!" 

In his hands was a life vest. Steve quickly ordered Tony, "Get that on him. I have to crash this plane."

Tony was certain his eyes might pop out of his head. "What? I'm sorry, did I hear you right? You're going to  _ crash  _ the plane?" 

"Do you have any better ideas?" Steve asked, glancing over his shoulder. 

Tony didn't, so he grabbed the vest from the little guy's hands,  _ Pipsqueak  _ Steve kept calling him. He tried to soothe him with a calm voice, but Tony wasn't even sure he needed it. He was the calm one and Tony was the one freaking out. "I'm going to put this vest on and you hold on tight to me, okay? This may be a little scary, but it's gonna be okay." 

The kid tilted his head and nodded. "I know, mister. Stevie's here." 

Of course. The kid was still just a kid. As long as his...guardian? was here, he would feel safe. Blind trust of a child. 

"Alright, you two! Get ready!" Steve shouted before he yanked on the handles and the plane jerked violently. 

Tony grabbed the kid and hugged him close to his chest. He didn't particularly want to see the plane nosedive in the water below so he squeezed his eyes shut and hid his face in the kid's hair. 

"It's gonna be okay, Peter! It's gonna be okay!" Steve shouted and it took Tony a moment to realize that Peter was Pipsqueak. That was his name. 

In that moment he spent realizing Pipsqueak had a real name, the plane crashed into the water below. The impact had Tony flying across the cockpit with Peter still in his arms. He heard rushing water around him and looked to see the windshield of the plane was slowly submerging into the water. The impact also caused a crack in the glass to grow and the pressure of the water had water start to drip in. 

The dripping lasted only a few seconds before the glass cracked completely and the plane was being flooded. Tony watched in horror as it began to spill into the plane. 

"Oh shit, oh shit,  _ oh shit!"  _

Then he was being lifted to his feet and Peter jumped from his arms. Tony turned around and saw Steve with that damn hat still on his head and something close to excitement in his eyes. "You planning on staying here with the fish, doll?" 

Water began to pool around their feet and Tony wasn't sure how the hell they were getting out of this one. The plane was underwater and opening any window or door would just cause a cascade of rushing water. 

"I'm going to break a window over here. Hold onto something close and hold your breath. We'll have to wait for the water to even out. We'll never be able to swim against it." Steve said it all with such a calmness and even eagerness. 

"You're insane!" 

A smirk quirked his lips upwards. "Maybe so." Then he turned to Peter and ruffled the hat on top of his head. "Hold on to this, Pipsqueak. You might lose it in the water." 

Peter used both hands to press his hands on his hat, but Steve took one off to grab. 

"Don't you worry, Pip. I'm not letting you go." He turned back to Tony. "I don't have a hand for you to hold. You think you'll be okay, sweetheart?" 

"Yeah. I'll be  _ fine,"  _ Tony replied. The way Steve was saying doll and sweetheart wasn't exactly friendly, but it wasn't condescending either. Tony actually found himself...liking it. Not that he'd ever admit it to him. 

Tony grabbed onto the armrest of a chair and prepared himself for whatever the hell was about to happen. "When we get out of here, I'm taking the next flight right back to Italy." 

Steve leaned down and lifted Peter into his arm before raising his other arm to the window. "Noted." Then he threw his fist into the window and that's when it got a little too wild for Tony to keep up with all the details. 

Water was rushing in from both the front and now the side. Before long, Tony was gasping for air as it reached his neck. Peter's head was almost underwater. The only thing keeping him up was the life vest. 

Steve's eyes were a little more panicked when Peter started to cough out water splashing into his mouth. "Swim out now!" He said, waving his hand before they were both fully engulfed in water. 

Tony could barely see anything under the water as he swam, but he made it to the window fairly easy. As he swam through the hole, he felt himself drag on the jagged edges of the glass, but he didn't feel it other than the pressure. It probably ripped his pants. 

Right now, that was the least of his worries…

He kept swimming up, or at least what he thought was up, as his lungs burned. He breached the top and gasped for the fresh air. 

The world was still spinning around him, but his feet hit solid ground underneath. He continued to push himself away from the wreckage of the plane until he was able to keep his head above water without struggling. 

"Stevie! That was so cool!" 

Tony turned around and saw Peter treading water besides Steve. He was smiling widely up at him and Steve was giving him a soft smile as well. "You did so good. We're going to swim to land and you can take a break from kicking those legs, Pip." 

"This place better not be infested with sharks," Tony said as he swam closer to the two of them. He was trying to keep his heart rate down and act like they hadn't just survived a plane crash. Because the child,  _ the literal child, _ wasn't even a bit scared. 

"Sharks in a river? Seems unlikely," Steve replied. 

"Actually, there's a genus of river sharks called Glyphis. Bull sharks are also known to swim in shallow freshwater," Peter spouted out as if he were reciting something as simple as the alphabet. His general sentences didn't have the best grammar, but a random fact about sharks? That did.

Tony's eyes widened as he turned his to stare at Peter. How  _ the hell _ did the kid know that much about sharks? 

"I know, bud...I was just trying to ease the princess' mind." Steve laughed as they approached the edge of the river. He was poking fun at Tony, he knew this, but the way he laughed...Tony would let him tease him forever if he got to listen to that laugh. 

"Excuse me? Listen, pal, I don't know if calling me  _ doll  _ or  _ sweetheart  _ gets you off, but I draw the line at princess! I am no  _ princess."  _ He had to make some show of resentment to save his dignity. 

Steve pulled himself out of the river, then Peter, and stared down at Tony. "Is that a shark swimming behind you?" 

Rationally, Tony knew there was no shark, but he couldn't help the jolt of fear he felt. He practically jumped out of the water with a yelp. 

Steve grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the edge. "What were you saying,  _ princess?"  _

Tony yanked his hand back and stalked past the two of them. "I'm taking the first flight back to Italy. You better make sure there's a plane to get me home." 

Steve hummed. "Home...where  _ Obie _ didn't care if you lived or died?"

Tony was ringing the river water out of clothes, but that made him freeze. Obadiah wasn't warm; he was cold. He was like walking through a blizzard barefoot. 

But he was all Tony had. 

After his mother and father had passed away, it was Obie that had taken control of the family business and kept it running. Tony didn't know much of what the family business was, but he knew it was dangerous. He knew it was more than the public knew. 

Tony didn't want anything to do with the people that came around for business. Except for the money of course. With the money from the business that Obie gave him, Tony lived a lavish lifestyle. He could buy whatever he needed whenever he wanted. 

He didn't need Obie like Peter needed Steve. It was different. 

"You don't know what you're talking about, Rogers." 

_ "Captain  _ Rogers," Peter immediately corrected him. 

Tony rolled his eyes and Steve continued on like Peter hadn't said a word, "He, like, your boyfriend or something?" 

Tony whirled around with wide eyes. "No! God, no! He is not my  _ boyfriend.  _ That's-- no." 

Steve studied his face and didn't respond right away. As if he was debating the question, he took his time before asking, "Not your type? You're into the dames?" 

It was a conclusion, a partly wrong conclusion, but it was a safe one. He should have said yes and made it easy. That wouldn't have been the truth, but it would have been safe. 

One night a few months ago, Obie had caught him staring at a man for a little bit too long at a party they were holding in their New York residence. After it was over, he reamed into him about how Tony should drop any ideas he had. Men didn't like men unless they were sick, unless they wanted to get left in a mental hospital with doctors trying to electrocute the homosexuality out of them. 

Tony had never been convinced any of that was right and he was wrong, but that didn't mean he wanted to be labeled a fruitcake and ridiculed for the rest of his life-- or even imprisoned. 

He had never found a man worth risking it all for. 

But, now as he looked at Steve in his white shirt only buttoned three quarters the way up and his bright blue eyes, and his leather jacket, he would be lying if he said he didn't imagine Steve pushing him up against the nearest tree.

Maybe not now in the middle of a jungle with a child watching, but maybe later. Obie would never know. 

So, he smiled and he answered Steve's question about being into dames with a shrug of his shoulders. "Sometimes." 

Ever so slightly, Steve's eyes widened. Tony saw the interest in them,  _ the lust,  _ before he attempted to blink it away and play it cool. Once again, Tony beat him to it. 

He turned back around and started walking. "Come on, let's go find civilization." He didn't wait to hear either of their footsteps before he was on his way through the trees. 

* * *

Tony Stark was a mystery. An incredibly handsome mystery but a mystery nonetheless. 

He was obviously one of the many rich boys that Steve had come to meet throughout his adventures. He didn't do well with dirt staining his suit and he screamed higher than Peter could whenever he saw a spider. 

On the other hand, Peter loved jumping over roots in the mud and saying hi to every animal or bug they passed. He was in the middle of climbing a tree to go see a monkey up in the branches when Tony decided to groan dramatically. For the umpteenth time. 

"If he stops to climb every tree, we're never finding anything before it gets dark and I don't think he'll like the animals that come out at night." 

Steve didn't answer him, but he did reach up and grab Peter by the back of his pants and tug him off the tree. "C'mon, Pip. Princess needs to be somewhere safe for his beauty sleep." 

Peter let himself fall backwards into Steve's awaiting arms and then jumped to the ground. He skipped ahead happily to where Tony was. "I love  _ all  _ animals, doll!" 

Steve couldn't stop his lip from quirking at that. Peter copied Steve with everything he did, so of course, he'd refer to Tony as  _ doll.  _

"Even the animals that would love you as a midnight snack?" Tony returned, staring down at him as they walked side by side. 

"Can we  _ not _ talk about animals eating him?" Steve asked, glancing around the jungle. He could take on any animal, just not snakes. God, he hated snakes. 

"Why not?" 

"I shouldn't have to answer that."

"Hey, look!" Peter yelled before running off.

Steve watched him disappear through the trees and Tony turned to look at him in concern. "Aren't you going to chase after him?" 

"Chase after him?" Steve furrowed his brow. "Pipsqueak will be fine. He always comes back." 

"He's like a toddler. You trust him to wander around by himself?" Tony glanced back to where Peter disappeared. 

"He's seven **.** Also, he was on the street for a few months. He knows how to handle himself--." 

"Stevie!" 

Steve turned his head to where he heard Peter screaming. He didn't sound like he was in trouble, so he didn't go  _ running _ towards him. He took his time walking to where he ran off to. He passed Tony, patting his arm. 

He saw Peter standing just a few feet in front of them, pointing towards a clearing in the jungle. Steve followed the direction his finger was pointing and saw what he saw. People. 

Feeling a kick in his step, he hurried his way over. Peter and Tony were right behind him. Hopefully they had food for Tony so he'd stop complaining about how starving he was. He whined more than the actual child did. 

Steve didn't run over so he didn't startle anyone. It looked like a small village, definitely not in Italy. The people here were dark skinned dressed in native wardrobe to tribes he'd seen on missions in Africa. 

The minute someone saw him come closer, his eyes widened and he turned to the men around him. In a language Steve didn't understand, he shouted and then Steve was encircled by them all. Some started to bow to him and grab his hand to kiss it. 

He glanced around to find Tony and Peter standing just behind the group of villagers. A sudden cry from a woman had Steve looking over to where he saw a woman come running, right past Steve to where Peter was standing with Tony. Steve tensed, watching to see what was going to happen. He watched in curiosity as she fell to her knees and sobbed, grabbing Peter's hands. 

Peter tilted his head and stared at her for a few seconds. Then he looked over at Steve and shook his head. 

The woman turned around and continued crying out as other women came rushing to Peter. Peter's eyes widened and he gave Steve a pleading look. Peter wasn't a fan of large crowds, especially when the attention was all on him. But there wasn't much Steve could do. 

"Silence!" The voice was loud and the crowd immediately silenced. He was obviously in charge. Though his voice was thick with an accent, his English was clear. "Alright, let's not scare off our guests before they arrive!" 

Steve found him standing to the front of the group with his hands in the air. He was wearing a purple robe that hung across one shoulder and wrapped around his waist.

He spoke to his people again, this time in their native language and immediately, they split to let Steve walk towards him. The women also backed off of Peter, although much more begrudgingly. Peter hurried towards Steve and didn't stop until he was grabbing his hand. Tony followed behind, glancing around curiously. 

"My name is T'Chaka, king of Wakanda." He spread his arms out, beholding the small huts behind him. 

Steve looked around his village, Wakanda, and noticed a lot of men walking around with war paint and weapons. Any woman in sight was either crying, staring at Peter in awe, or both. 

"I apologize for the intrusion, King T'Chaka. My friends and I crashed our plane in a nearby river and were wondering if you knew where the nearest city is." Steve bowed a little to give his respects to the king. 

The king laughed and patted Steve on the shoulder. "Crash? No, no. You were brought here by the gods." 

Steve blinked. "The gods?" 

King T'Chaka nodded earnestly. "My people and I have been praying for someone to help and you fell from the sky." 

"Because our pilots jumped out!" Peter said, butting into the conversation. 

The King looked down at him and smiled. "My precious boy. You are a gift. You are hope." 

"I'm used to people telling me I'm a gift, but it's not usually from the result of my plane crashing," Tony muttered from behind him. 

"Please," King T'Chaka said, "Just come sit down. We have a fire going to dry you. While you warm, I have a story to share." 

Steve wanted to get directions and leave, but he couldn't after this man's kindness towards them already. He'd sit and humor them by listening to their story, but as soon as possible, he was taking Peter and maybe Tony if he stopped complaining and they were going home. 

Okay, what was Steve kidding, Tony was definitely coming with him. And hopefully to their home in Brooklyn instead of his in Italy. 

"We would love that, your majesty." 

The King turned around with a smile and started to lead them away from the edge of the village. Steve followed with his hand still holding tightly to Peter's. The looks he was getting were still unnerving. 

"What are we doing? We came for a way out, not story time by a campfire," Tony whispered, staying right behind him. 

"It's going to be okay," Steve promised. "Just trust me." 

* * *

Thankfully, they gave them some time to sit by the fire and dry off before starting the story. Steve hung his jacket by the fire so it could dry off and gave his hat for Peter to wear while his ball cap dried. 

He went through the backpack Peter kept with them and spread out the contents so that they could dry too. He winced when he saw Peter's book soaked. It was a hardcover copy of  _ The Wizard of Oz.  _ Peter had been reading that book before he even knew how to read. He used to stare at the pictures and create his own stories until Steve taught him how to properly read the book. 

The book had been through a lot and some pages were torn, but Peter refused to get rid of it. So, Steve was gentle with it when laying it out by the fire to dry. He glanced behind him and saw that Peter was too distracted with another crying woman to pay attention to his book. 

Tony was sitting on the other side of Steve with a blanket wrapped around himself. He hadn't said a word to Steve since they sat down at the fire. Only pulled off his suit jacket and chattered his teeth until he was offered a blanket from the Queen, Romanda. 

Steve glanced over at the King as he watched them dry off. "So, you were going to give us directions to a nearby city," he prompted.

"I can send you with a guide, but first, I ask you to stop at the Azania Palace."

The Azania Palace was familiar to Steve, again, only because of his work with SHIELD. "I thought that palace has been abandoned since the Mutiny of 1857?" 

A darkness grew in King T'Chaka's eyes. "No...there's a new power there. A dark, evil power. That evil killed my people." 

Steve glanced around the village and now that he was actually looking, it did look like chaos wrecked through here. "What happened?"

"An evil is spreading darkness throughout our country. They destroy homes and families one by one. Villages all around are talking of the darkness. We thought we'd be ready…" 

Steve frowned, trying to piece together this story. “Why are they doing this? What do they want?”

“They want us to pray to their Titan, but we refuse. He is  _ evil.”  _

A man that looked no older than twenty put a hand on the king's shoulder as he looked down at the ground in shame. "We’ve turned them down before, but we were ready for their retaliation. They didn't attack like we thought. There was a fire in our fields and the men rushed to fight it. When we returned to our huts, the women were crying and the children were gone.”

That had Steve sitting up straighter. "Your children?" 

"Even my sister," the man growled, squeezing his hands in fists. "They took my sister." 

He was angry and Steve wondered what stopped him storming Azania himself. This kind of rage could easily trigger a suicide mission. "I'm sorry about your sister." 

He looked down at Peter, who immediately shrunk under his stare. He slid closer to Steve, but the man didn't move his gaze. 

"Excuse my son," King T'Chaka said, pulling him behind him. "T'Challa, please. They're going to help us…"

"How-- we don't...do rescue missions." Maybe he could retrieve the stone. One of the infinity stones... Steve had heard of them, but only through stories and whispers. Never had he ever seen one in person, but he knew the powers they were rumored to have. 

There were six of them spread throughout the world. Alone, they held power to those that wielded them correctly, but all together, they were an unstoppable force. To even find one would be unbelievable. It would put Steve's name out there for something that wasn't connected to Captain Rogers or SHIELD. It would give him the renown he was looking for to be his own person outside of SHIELD. 

“We prayed for you. You were sent to us to help. Our children...we need them back. We need our stone. We are dying without them all. Ever since our stone was taken, our rivers have started to dry and our crops are dying. We are dying without our babies.” 

Steve glanced at Tony, who was shaking his head feverishly. Not that Steve was surprised to see that. Then he glanced down at Peter. He hadn’t had Peter for long. Just a little over two years, really. But...that was long enough for Steve to know he couldn’t lose him. Just the idea of him being taken had Steve’s stomach churning. He couldn’t imagine how these mothers must be feeling. 

That was why they were always staring at Peter with looks of anguish. He reminded them of their children that were ripped away from them. 

He turned back to the King. “These people that you want me to go after...why are they taking the children?”

His eyes were welling with tears as he answered, “These savages...they worship a Titan by the name of Thanos. He’s created monsters. Only monsters could take screaming children away from their mother’s arms.” 

Steve didn’t know if he could take these men on. He wasn’t sure he even knew where to start with a mission like this. But if the roles were reversed and he needed someone to save his pipsqueak, he’d want them to do everything they could to help. 

With a smile, he turned back towards Tony. “Whaddya say, doll? You ready to hunt some monsters?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the movie, India is the setting, but I wanted something from the MCU. So, I chose Wakanda, but still, it is an AU of the MCU so it obviously won't be the same as Wakanda in the movies/comics.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, they headed out for Azania. Steve refused a guide, wanting to do it his own way. All he asked for was a map to Azania and a few other supplies to bring on their journey. 

The day through the jungle was uneventful, besides for Tony's distaste for most insects. Steve managed to get through the day without seeing one snake, so he considered it a win. 

Steve didn't stop to set up camp for the night until Peter's eyes started to droop and he was stumbling over his own feet. Then he found a good spot for them to rest for the night and set up camp. 

Most of what he kept in the backpack was ruined from the water, but he salvaged what he could. Hopefully, it would be enough for their journey. 

Peter had experience with living on the streets of Queens, so a night in the jungle wasn't bad for him. He made himself a pillow of branches and leaves, but Steve gave him the blanket to keep warm. 

They had a deck of cards that was mostly dry, so he handed them to Peter and ruffled his hair. "You wanna play a quick game before bed, Pip?" 

He grinned widely. "Get ready to lose, old man!" 

"Lose? Yeah, right," Steve huffed before standing back up. "I'm going to go check on the princess. He was bathing in the river, but that was a while ago, so I'm gonna make sure he hasn't been eaten by a crocodile. You set up the game and I'll be right back." 

Peter was already pulling out the cards and shuffling them. "When you come back, you'll lose!" 

"Oh, we'll see about that, Pipsqueak." Steve laughed as he turned around and started walking over to where Tony had disappeared to earlier. He followed a trail that led to a river with some rocks by the edge. On a large rock was Tony's suit carefully laid out, despite the tears and stains it was already full of. 

Steve looked across the river and waited for Tony to breach the surface. When he did, Steve couldn't help but stare at his back. The water glistened in the moonlight against his skin. Steve couldn't tear his eyes away from his toned back. 

He wanted to pull Tony close until they were chest to chest so he could run his fingers up and down his back. See what kind of noises he would make when--. 

"Are you done staring?" Tony asked without even looking back. 

"Figured it was my turn after all the staring you did on the plane," Steve replied coolly, despite the shock at being caught. 

Tony turned around, slicking his hair back. Steve's eyes dipped down to where the water stopped at Tony's waist. Too bad it wasn't shallower. "Can't a man have some privacy?"

"I wanted to make sure you weren't eaten by a crocodile." Steve shrugged his shoulders, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"Unfortunately for you, I'm still here." He glanced around the water. "But, if you don't mind turning around, I'd appreciate it. Don't want to be in here longer than necessary."

Steve turned around, giving him his privacy. He heard a splash of water like Tony was stepping out of the river. "Surprised I haven't heard you screaming from over there." 

"I don't scream."

Steve couldn't help but laugh. "Sure." 

"You know what I miss? My bathtub, soap, towels…" 

Steve froze, so tempted to turn around to see. "You don't have a towel? How are you going to dry?" 

"I can air dry. Unless, you want to come give me a hand." 

Steve cleared his throat and started walking towards where they set up their camp. "I'm going back to sit with Peter before he runs off with a monkey. Try not to get into any trouble. I'm not saving you from any jungle animal when you're naked." 

"I'll be sure to put clothes on before getting attacked." 

Steve smiled as he walked back to Peter. "Thank you." He couldn't help the glance he stole over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of Tony's backside. 

"Hey, Stevie!" 

Steve stopped staring and turned back around to walk back to Peter. He tried to get the image of Tony out of his head before he ran back there and pushed that muscled back against the nearest tree. "Hey, Pips. Ready to play?" 

Peter already had the cards set up and a spot for Steve to sit. "I'm ready to win!" 

"You know, know not everything is always about winning," he said, sitting down in front of Peter. He picked up his cards and frowned when he saw the crappy hand he held. He casted an eye over the cards and saw Peter grinning down at his own cards. "Alright, Pipsqueak. You're up first." 

Peter hummed and then asked, "Do you have any 2s?" 

Steve looked down at his cards and narrowed his eyes before pulling the 2 from his hand and handing it to Peter. Peter grinned and laid down his set of four 2s. 

"Do you have any kings?" Peter asked with a smile, that looked far too innocent on his face. 

"Go fish, Pip." 

Peter pulled a card from the top of the deck and his grin went wider. Then he laid down another set of cards. 

Steve put his cards on his lap and narrowed his eyes at Peter. "Did you fix these cards?" 

"What?" Peter asked, feigning innocence, but Steve saw right through it. 

"You made sure your deck had near matches and studied the deck and my cards before I came. You know exactly what to say to win." 

Peter even gasped. "That's cheating!" 

Steve quirked his lip and nodded his head. "I know." 

"Me? Cheat? No!" Peter insisted, although he was already giggling. 

Steve started laughing himself before he dropped his cards to the ground and leaned forward to pull Peter into his lap. "Oh, really? You think I believe that?" 

"Yes! Yes!" Peter shrieked as Steve tickled his sides. 

"I sure don't, kid--." 

Another shrieking interrupted Peter's, but this one was much higher. Then Tony came rushing back to their cam in only his boxers and his unbuttoned dress shirt. 

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" Tony jumped over the small fire they had set up and then screamed louder before stopping in his path. Steve watched him rush around their camp, screaming at each insect, animal, or even twig he came in contact with. 

Steve shared a look with Peter, who was just as unimpressed with Tony’s dramatics. “He’s very loud,” Peter said, matter of factly. 

Steve chuckled as he let go of Peter. “You got that right, kid.” 

“Are we really going to just lay here and sleep when I literally stepped on a snake on the way here?!” Tony’s face was slightly red from all his panicking. 

Steve could understand some of that panicking now though. “Snake?”

“Yes! Big snake!” He gestured wildly to the dark path that he just came running from. 

Steve cleared his throat, trying not to get too freaked out. He knew there were plenty of them living here. He just didn’t want to be reminded of that. “We’ve got a fire going. And if you want, we can take turns watching out. Kid sleeps through the night though. Speaking of, time for bed, Pipsqueak.” 

“But!” 

“No buts. We’ve got a long day ahead of us.” He pulled his jacket off and balled it up for Peter to use as a pillow. Patting it gently, he looked over to Peter. “Come on, little guy.” 

Peter didn’t put up a fight because he was exhausted and thankfully, he knew when to let himself rest. He laid his head down and Steve fixed the blanket around him. He smiled up at him, showing off that gap where his two front teeth used to be. “Goodnight, Stevie.” 

“Goodnight, Petey.” He leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Then Peter shut his eyes and Steve trusted him to fall asleep instead of staying up so he turned around and gave Tony his attention. 

He was grumbling under his breath as he pulled on his black slacks. Steve frowned as he did so. When he was dressed, he sat next to him at the firepit, his hair still wet and clinging to his scalp. “I’m not used to this...outdoors stuff.” 

Steve huffed in amusement. “I can tell.” He poked the fire, glancing at Tony from the corner of his eyes. “You’re used to the ivory towers and silver spoons.” 

Tony shrugged his shoulders, though a look that Steve couldn’t decipher crossed his eyes. “Yeah. I am.” 

“Is that why you stick with a man like Obadiah Stane?” Steve asked, keeping his voice low so they didn’t keep Peter up. 

Tony hesitated before answering. “Without him, I’ve got nothing. I don’t want the business. That’s not what I want in life...but, he’s got the money.” 

“Well, what  _ do _ you want in life?” Steve asked. “What do you see in your future? Besides just  _ money." _

By Tony’s reaction to the question, Steve could tell he had never been asked that before. It looked like the question almost pained him, but he quickly had a facade right back up again. “Probably settled down with a very beautiful and very wealthy person to spend the rest of my life with. Someone that has the wallet and libido to keep up with the life of Tony Stark.” 

“Sounds like you’re looking for a princess.” 

“Or prince.” 

Steve’s eyes flickered to stare at Tony silently for a moment. “Or a prince.” He looked down at his lap and chuckled. “I think I’d like to find one of those myself.” 

Tony sat up a little straighter and the surprise was clear in his voice. “Oh, really?”

“Yup,” Steve replied, popping the ‘P’. “Though, I’d like mine to be dead and buried for a few thousand years. Fortune and glory, and all that.” 

Tony tilted his head, his shoulders deflating. “Is that what you think we’re going to find at this palace?”

Shrugging his shoulders, Steve answered, “Hope so. But I do know that we are going to find those kids and if that’s all we find, it’ll be worth it.” 

His gaze was heavy on where Peter was laying. Tony must have followed where his eyes were staring. “Where’d you find your little shadow? He yours?”

Steve smiled. He loved Peter and he loved talking about him. “He’s mine, just not biologically. Found him on the streets of Queens a few months ago. Little shit tried stealing my wallet.” His voice was full of a fondness he could only ever have for Peter. 

“On the streets as a kid?” Tony sounded horrified at the idea and if Steve had been as sheltered as he was, maybe he would have been horrified too. 

“His parents died when he was a kid and was living on the streets since he was five,” Steve explained, noticing how Tony turned to Peter with a pitying look. Good thing the kid was asleep for that. “Now he’s staying with me. We got a place in Brooklyn.”

“You just took him in?”

“Course. He needed someone. I needed someone. Worked out well. He’s still struggling to adjust to normal life again, but I keep it fun for him.” Steve smiled at the memory of the first time Peter slept in the bed that Steve squeezed into the one bedroom apartment for him. The quarters were tight and some nights, when Peter had nightmares, he came crawling into Steve’s bed, but Peter liked having it. He liked having a roof over his head, and food in the fridge, and books to read. Steve was going to make sure he always had that. Even if it meant dragging him along on adventures across the globe. He loved seeing the world. 

Tony was still staring at him, Steve noticed. 

“What?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Nothing. Just didn’t expect that, I guess. Most people would just drop the kid off in police custody or an orphanage.” 

The wall slowly came back up as Steve nodded his head stiffly. “Well, you don’t know me, sweetheart. You shouldn’t expect anything. The kid is staying, never a doubt in my mind.” 

“Yeah, of course,” Tony replied. 

Steve stood up and looked down at him with a sigh. “I’m laying down. You should do the same. But somewhere close to me.” 

Tony arched an eyebrow with an amused smirk. 

Feeling his cheeks heat up, he quickly clarified, “For safety.” 

“Of course. For safety.” Tony took another blanket and laid it close to Steve and Peter. Before laying down, he turned to Steve and said, “Just try and control yourself, big boy.” 

* * *

Tony was used to the softest mattresses and silk sheets, so sleeping on dirt was not easy to do. He slept through the night well enough, but when he felt something poking his cheek, he awoke with a start. 

He glanced around the camp with wide eyes and didn’t calm down until he saw Peter squatting by his head, a stick in his outstretched hand. "Good morning, doll." 

Tony huffed, rolling his eyes. "Good morning, Pipsqueak." 

Peter smiled at the nickname and when Tony saw his missing front teeth, he was reminded just how young Peter was. "You wanna see my new friend?" 

Tony really didn't want to know what  _ friend  _ Peter made in the jungle, but he couldn't miss it. Just behind Peter was a large elephant. Though, he looked more like a baby elephant. Tony hoped the elephant's mom wasn't too far. "Oh, wow, look at him." 

"That's my friend." 

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Mr. Elephant." Tony said, keeping his eyes on the animal.

Peter nodded his head feverishly before turning back to pat his trunk. "He does something funny." 

Tony knew Peter's English wasn't always the best. From the story Steve told him last night, it seemed that Peter didn't have a normal childhood and whatever he didn't learn before his parents passed was up to Steve to teach him. "What's that?" 

Peter answered by turning to the elephant and rubbing his trunk gently, guiding it to somewhere behind him. Tony followed where it was moving with his eyes and was surprised to see Steve still asleep on the ground. 

"What are you doing…?"

Peter giggled when the elephant's trunk found Steve's cheek. Tony didn't think it was all that funny, but Peter giggled and he couldn't help but chuckle along with him.

But then, Steve moaned and Tony was definitely interested. His eyes darted back to where the trunk was rubbing Steve's cheek. "Honey, what're you doing…" 

_ Honey?  _ Who was he dreaming about? Tony hated the twinge of jealously he felt. He shouldn't care because he barely knew the man, but he did. 

Steve's eyes were still shut and the elephant kept his trunk pressed against his cheek. He sniffed at Steve's ear and Tony was sure that would wake him up, but it didn't. With another moan, he whispered, "Don't start something you can't finish, darling." 

Peter was already in hysterics with his hand plastered over his mouth to try and quiet his laughter. Tony would have usually found it funny too, but not when he was wishing he was that elephant trunk. 

"C'mere, Tony…" 

Tony's eyes went right back to Steve and he widened them as he watched Steve press a kiss to the elephant's trunk. Peter only started laughing more at it, while Tony felt  _ something.  _

Before he could figure out what it was, the elephant made a loud trumpeting sound and Steve jumped awake. "What the hell!" 

Peter was on the ground now, not bothering to try and muffle his laughter. Tony still couldn't believe it was  _ him  _ that Steve was dreaming of. 

Shoving the elephant's trunk away, Steve looked right to Peter and narrowed his eyes. "You little shit."

"I got you good, Captain Rogers!" 

"Oh, yeah? Wait til I get you right back, Pipsqueak." He pushed himself to his feet and immediately started chasing Peter around the camp. Peter continued to laugh as they ran, while Tony stood there and stared with a soft smile on his face. 

He was dreaming of him…

* * *

Their traveling took hours that day and by the time they were close to the palace, the sun was getting ready to set. 

Tony had ditched his suit jacket and dress shirt a while back and was now only sweating through his undershirt and his pants. 

Steve was still in his pants, shirt, hat, and leather jacket. Tony couldn't understand how he handled the heat. 

Peter, of course, was in his own jacket and hat just like Steve. There were even times that Tony noticed him copying Steve's movements exactly, just to be like Steve. Tony thought it was endearing. 

However, after the fifth time of stepping in animal crap, he was absolutely, positively  _ done  _ with this whole adventure thing. 

"Shot at, crashed in a plane, nearly drowned, bitten by too many mosquitoes, spider crawled all over me-- I am done!" He swatted at yet another bug flying around him. 

Silently, Steve stopped his walking, turned around, and walked back towards Tony. He didn't waste a moment before sweeping him up into his arms and continuing the walk to the palace. 

"Will there be any more complaints?" 

Tony had a faint smile on his face when he looked up at him. From here, he could see every freckle clearly. "Yeah...why didn't you think of this sooner?" 

Steve looked down at him and shook his head before looking back in front of him and continuing his walking. 

"Hey, Captain Rogers! What about me?" Peter started to yell as he ran to keep up with Steve's brisk pace. 

"Remember this morning, Pips?" 

"Yeah…" 

"Me too." Then Steve kept walking, leaving Peter to keep up with them on his own feet. 

Tony enjoyed the rest of the walk-- well, the rest of being carried while Steve walked. Soon, they were in front of a large palace that was old and covered in vines and moss. It looked abandoned, except for two guards standing out front. They didn't look like they belonged here; they looked like they belonged in the Western world with their black suits, sunglasses, and handguns. 

Steve carefully lowered Tony to the ground and whispered to the two of them. "Stay behind me and don't say a word." 

Peter nodded and brought a finger to his lips while Tony just rolled his eyes. Steve gave him another hard look before turning around walking to the guards. 

"Hello sirs…I'm sorry if we're on trespassing, but we got a little lost." He laughed, sounding a little ditzy. "We were hoping we could come in and refresh for a bit before going back out to find an airport." 

The two men didn't budge. "Mr. Hammer and Mr. Osborn are not accepting any visitors." 

That peaked Tony's interest and he ignored Steve's one rule. "Mr. Hammer and Mr. Osborn as in Justin Hammer and Norman Osborn?" 

Steve quickly whipped his head to glare at him, but once again, Tony ignored him. 

"Yes."

"Let them know it's me. Tony Stark!" 

The two men hesitated before exchanging a glance. Then one of them took the walkie talkies from his hip and spoke into it, "We have a Tony Stark… visiting?"

Tony held his breath, hoping Justin Hammer's infatuation with him came through. Sure enough, his voice came crackling through the speaker only a few seconds later. "Tony? Tony Stark? What are you waitin' for? Let him in!" 

Tony sauntered in front Steve, a smile on his face. "Thank you, my kind sirs." 

Steve huffed but followed close behind him with Peter's hand in his. They walked inside the large palace and Tony tried to ignore the guns that were still trained on them. 

Justin was waiting for them when they walked inside. He spread his arms open wide and said, "Tony! Long time no see!" He hurried forward and pulled Tony in for a hug before kissing each cheek one time. 

Tony put on a wide smile that he thought Hammer would enjoy. It was hard to do since he couldn't stand the guy. "Justin, you know I can't stay away." 

"And you brought friends?" Justin looked over his shoulder.

Tony took a step to the side so he could see the two of them. He gestured to them respectively when he introduced them. "This is Captain Steve Rogers and his first mate...Pip." 

Peter gave him a wave. 

"Any friend of Tony's is a friend of mine! We're all just getting ready for dinner, if you'd like to join!" He didn't wait for a response before turning to two men behind him. "Show our guests to some rooms they can stay in." 

They both nodded their heads and immediately followed the instructions. Before they could be led away, Tony turned to Justin and gave him another smile. "Thank you so much, Justin." 

A smirk grew on his face. "You're very welcome, Tony...we can deliver a change of clothes to your rooms. You all look...a little ragged." 

"You wouldn't believe the last two days we've had," Tony said, shaking his head. "Food, clean clothes, and a shower? Sounds amazing right now." 

"You have plenty of time for that before dinner is ready. I'll send a servant to come fetch you when it's time." He pulled Tony in close before leaving them alone, "But if you need some company in the shower, I'd be happy to serve you." 

It took all of Tony's will power to not punch him across the face. Instead, he just smiled. "I'll keep that in mind, thank you." 

Then the three of them started to follow the man down a long hallway. Tony noticed many interesting shrines and sculptures set up everywhere. He didn't recognize any of it, but by the way Steve's eyes lingered on it all, he guessed that he did. 

They stopped at two doors across from one another in the hallway. "This will be where you'll stay tonight. Dinner will be ready soon." Then the man was gone, leaving the three of them standing there. 

Steve waited for the man to be gone before turning to Tony. "So, is he your prince?" 

Instantly, Tony's face scrunched up in distaste. "Justin Hammer? Hell no. I'd rather sleep with a monkey than that asshole." 

"Why did he want to shower you?" Peter asked with big eyes and Tony couldn't tell if he was just being a little shit, as Steve called him, or he was genuinely curious. 

"No reason, Pip," Steve said, tugging Peter back towards him by the collar of his shirt. 

"Look, he's...got a thing for me, okay? But it's not returned." Tony didn't know why he insisted on being stern about that. Why did it matter if Steve thought he liked someone else? It wasn't like they were a thing…

"Oh, of course not. I didn't sense any connection between the two of you," Steve said, voice full of sarcasm. 

"I'm playing a role, Captain," Tony whispered. "Don't we need what's in this palace? Well, hate to remind you, but we're only here because of  _ me."  _

Steve clenched his jaw and huffed. It took him a long moment before he gave in. "Fine, you're right. We'll use this to our advantage. After dinner tonight, we'll sneak around the palace. Maybe we'll find something. Did you see all those shrines to Thanos? That's not coincidence."

Tony furrowed his brow. "Thanos?" 

"The Titan that the Chitauri worship. I smell something fishy here…" Steve glanced around the hallway they were in.

"Maybe fish is for dinner!" Peter suggested, looking up at Steve. 

With a chuckle, Steve ruffled his hair. "Yeah, maybe, Pips." Then he turned to Tony with a serious look and lowered his voice. "Do you think Justin Hammer is capable of stealing children and collecting these rocks for some kind of...power trip." 

Tony shook his head. "Honestly? No. He's not dangerous. But Norman? He's the one that worries me. He could just be using Justin. Oscorp and Hammer Industries are both Stane Industries' biggest competitors." 

"We'll keep our eyes out then during dinner." Steve put a hand on Peter's shoulder and turned him towards the door. He was still looking at Tony. "You know, if you do need help washing the spots on your back you can't reach, I'm only across the hall."

Tony felt his cheeks blush even though he knew Steve was just trying to rile him up. He shoved him closer to his door. "Go take your own shower. You stink." 

Before turning, Steve winked and then turned his attention to Peter. "Let's get you washed up, Pip. Then dinner. That belly needs to be full." 

Tony watched as Steve's entire attitude softened with Peter. It made Tony smile smally and the smile was still there even as he turned around and glanced over his shoulder before shutting the bedroom door again. "See you soon, doll." 

The door was shut and Steve couldn't hear him, but still, he replied, "I can't wait, Captain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're going to ignore the fact that walkie talkies were not invented until 1937 and this takes place in 1935...please.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter today...now I gotta get back to writing/editing bc I'm out of pre written chapters

Steve and Peter were ready for dinner before Tony, though that didn't surprise Steve. Tony probably took hours to get ready in a normal situation. 

Steve was wearing a suit and Peter was wearing a suit as well, which Steve found pretty adorable. It was the first time Peter had worn something so nice.

Peter even insisted on having his hair combed and fixed exactly like Steve did his. Peter always insisted on being just like Steve. 

After he hid their bags underneath the bed, he ushered Peter out of the room and they stopped outside of Tony's door. He knocked twice and waited. 

Tony opened the door only a minute or so after and he looked stunning. Steve felt his cool facade fade as he looked Tony up and down. The suit Tony was wearing looked like it was tailored specifically for him. It was much nicer than either Steve or Peter's. "Wow, doll…" 

Tony smirked at him. "What's that, Captain?" 

Steve remembered Tony telling him that Justin had a thing for him, and that was probably why he got such a nice suit. Justin wanted him to look perfect. Although, he looked perfect in anything-- even the dirty slacks and button down. He felt something close to jealously settle in his stomach, but he could appreciate Justin's efforts so he tried to ignore it. "You look very nice, Tony." 

Tony walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. He dragged his hand down Steve's arm gently as he did so, and Steve couldn't help but shiver at the chill he felt. "Thank you…" 

"How do I look, Captain Rogers?" Peter asked excitedly because how dare Steve not give him all of his attention? 

Steve smiled down at him and refrained from tousling his hair. "You look  _ very  _ handsome, little man." 

"I'm not little! I'm big!" Peter announced, puffing out his chest. 

Steve looked at him and saw how he just barely came past his waist. "Don't rush it, Pip." 

"Coming, boys?" 

Steve looked up and saw Tony already making his way down the hallway. He rolled his eyes and started walking towards him, Peter hot on his heels. 

"After dinner tonight, we have to try and find where they're keeping everything," Steve whispered once he got close to Tony. "I don't trust your little friend."

"First, you should enjoy dinner. We haven't eaten anything but fruit and bugs in two days." Tony made a face. 

Steve rolled his eyes. "I told you that those people were giving you food they rarely get to eat. It was embarrassing and insulting when you tried to refuse it."

"If Justin even  _ thinks _ about serving anything like that, I will gladly refuse. I don't care if I insult him. Nothing but  _ the best  _ goes past these lips." 

Steve choked on his next breath, trying to not react to that because he knew the innuendo behind his words. And if Steve had his way, Tony would only ever get the best. 

It was just time to show him that he wasn't going to find it with that Justin Hammer douche.

* * *

Of course, Justin didn't serve bugs or brains for dinner. He was a grown up rich boy just like Tony. 

There were several courses including soups, salads, and bread. Tony was sat right across from Justin, with Steve at his side, and then Peter at Steve's. 

Peter's attention was focused on Norman's son, who was about his age. That was probably why they had a suit in Peter's size handy. He didn't seem as enthusiastic as Peter was in making a new friend. 

"The tin man wants a heart, and the scarecrow wants a brain, and the lion wants co--courage," Peter stumbled over the word as he explained the plot to  _ The Wizard of Oz.  _ The boy didn't seem interested as he sipped on his juice. "Courage means...to be brave. That's what Captain Rogers told me." 

"Harry doesn't read  _ children  _ stories," Norman cut in their conversations, as if those were beneath him. 

Peter gave him a dirty look before turning back to Harry. "Dorothy is helping them kinda like an adventure. Captain Rogers and me do those a lot! We're doing one now!" 

Harry barely looked up from his soup, but Norman did. His eyes flickered over to Peter and the rest of the conversations at the table died down. "Is that so, son? What kind of adventure?" 

Steve was good at concealing his panic, but he hoped that Peter remembered the conversation they had before going out for dinner. Their mission here was supposed to be a  _ secret.  _

"Uh huh! We crashed a plane and landed in water after running from bad guys!" Peter waved his hands wildly now that he had everyone's attention. 

"Bad guys?" Norman asked, clearly intrigued. Steve gave Peter a look, hoping he would glance his way. 

"Yup. They had guns and shot at us, but I drove away!" 

That had Harry looking up. "You drove a car?" It was the first time he spoke and his grammar and diction was much better than Peter's. But, he probably went to a real school and not a homeschool taught by a SHIELD agent playing dad instead of an actual teacher. 

"I sure did! I only crashed little bit." Peter smiled at him, happy to get even a sliver of attention from him. 

"You let your son drive a car?" Norman asked with a scoff. "And people say I'm a bad parent." 

That much was obvious to Steve by their seating. Norman didn't care how close he sat next to his son, whereas Steve made sure he was right next to Peter just in case he needed help cutting up his food or something. 

"I'm not his father," Steve answered instead. 

Norman raised an eyebrow. "But yet he follows you across the world on... _ adventures?"  _

"It's complicated." Steve shrugged his shoulders, hoping the conversation were steer away from Peter. Especially when Norman was probably behind the disappearance of many children. 

"So, what are you guys doing here in Africa?" Justin asked, staring at Tony. 

"I was with Obie in Italy and joined these two. Our plane crashed and now, we're here." At least Tony was keeping the details to a minimum. "What about you? Hammer Industries and Oscorp working together? Never thought I'd see the day." 

Steve stared down at his plate to hide his smile at how Tony was able to question them effortlessly without drawing any attention to the topic. 

"Norman and I struck up a deal. One that you could have been a part of if you had said yes." Justin's eyes lingered on Tony as he took a long sip of his wine. 

Tony shook his head, some frustration bleeding through. Just barely. "I already told you I don't want anything to do with what he does with the company. Or you, for that matter. I don't want anything to do with weapons or killing." 

"You just want the money that comes from it," Norman muttered, but the entire table could still hear it.

Justin cleared his throat, attempting to change the topic of conversation. "Tony, I think you should really reconsider. The work we're doing here...we're not killing a single soul." 

Steve furrowed his brow. "And what work would that be?" 

"We're educating the people here. The people living in these villages...they don't even have electricity or cars! Their meals consist of what they either hunt or gather. Like the days of cavemen!" Justin shook his head with a laugh. "Kinda pathetic, huh?" 

Steve clenched his jaw as he turned in his seat slightly to face Justin. "So, your job is to teach them how  _ you  _ live?" 

"Yeah. Give them the tools they need to survive in the real world. Hammer, and some Oscorp, tech." Justin dabbed at his face with a white cloth napkin. 

"So your work doesn't involve killing  _ people, _ just their history and way of life," Steve said simply. 

Justin sighed heavily. "Oh, please, Rogers--." 

_ "Captain Rogers."  _

Justin's eyes flickered to Peter before continuing.  _ "Captain _ Rogers, I do not force anything on anyone." He smirked and winked at Tony. "They always beg for it, ain't that right?" 

Steve cleared his throat loudly before Tony could answer. Maybe Steve didn't want to hear the answer… 

"We go to the villages and show them what we have to offer. Just a few gadgets...if they want it, awesome! If not, we move on." 

"That's strange," Steve hummed thoughtfully. "We passed through one village that claimed your men went to their town pushing them to worship some...god. Forgive me, I don't remember the name. Something beginning with Th…" He tapped his chin, as if trying to remember Thanos' name. 

"We are not Jehovah's Witnesses, Captain." Norman chuckled. "We just want to teach these people how to live life to their fullest with our technology." 

Steve didn't like either of these two. Of course, they would see a village like Wakanda and see it as something lacking because it wasn't built up like other cities in Europe and America. But Steve saw a home and a scared lifestyle when he looked at it. It was hard to keep his temper contained when he was speaking to such ignorant people. 

"I'm not saying you are. I'm just saying that these people claim their village's children are missing, along with a...stone?" 

Justin looked a little alarmed at the accusation.  _ "Children?"  _ He looked at Tony imploringly. "Tony, c'mon...you know me. Would I ever  _ kidnap  _ children?" 

Steve glanced at Tony and could tell by the look in his eyes that he did know that. Or at least, he thought he did. 

"We're not blaming you, Justin," Tony said, sounding like he didn't want to be apart of this facade. "Would we be having dinner peacefully with suspected kidnappers? We're merely letting you know what people are saying about you." 

Justin narrowed his eyes dubiously. "Why would you care if we knew?" 

"Like you said, you're just trying to educate these people. I'm technology's biggest advocate. So, maybe I'm interested in this plan of yours...that would make us partners and I don't like people bad talking my business," Tony lied so smoothly that even Steve found it easy to fall for. Steve hoped he was just a great actor and didn't believe the words he was saying because if he meant those words in even the slightest bit, he wasn't the man Steve thought he was. 

"So then you're interested?" Justin leaned forward, seeming giddy at the possibility. 

Tony shrugged his shoulders. "I'm thinking about it. As long as you're not involved with those people kidnapping kids." 

"The Chitauri," Norman supplied. 

"Excuse me?" Steve asked, feigning confusion. 

"The god, or Titan really, that you were referring to. His name is Thanos and his followers call themselves the Chitauri. Legend says that with all six infinity stones, they can bring him back to life. Maybe that's why a village's stone is missing?" 

Justin nodded along. "These villages around here, they find these smooth rocks in their rivers that were just brought from somewhere else and they're convinced that they're good luck rocks." Justin rolled his eyes. "They're just stones, really. But these people put their entire faith into a stone." 

"So, you're saying these six stones…"

"Infinity stones," Justin said.

"Do they even exist or is it just a legend?" Steve waited patiently for their answer. 

"A magic rock?" Justin laughed. "Don't be daft, Captain. There is no such thing. The magic these people need is television, cameras, radio...technology. Not rocks." 

"Dinner is served, sir," a man said, walking into the room with a cart of covered platters. 

"Enough of this boring talk," Justin said, waving his hand. "Let's eat!" 

Steve let the conversation drop because he had exactly what he needed. When their steaks were placed in front of them, Steve cut Peter's piece up and listened to him talk Harry's ear off. 

He didn't say a word for the rest of the meal; he'd heard enough.

* * *

The rest of dinner passed without much else. Peter was the only one holding any sort of conversion, although Harry didn't want to hear any of it.

Justin tried flirting his way into Tony's pants. It was actually quite pathetic. He'd only known Tony for a few days and he knew Justin was going about it all the wrong way. 

When they were back in the hallway leading to their guestrooms, Steve wanted to desperately try what he thought would work, mission be damned. Watching Justin spend the night ogling over Tony left Steve feeling _ something.  _

"We might have to give it a few minutes," Tony whispered. "Justin made a comment about wanting to come say goodnight." 

"Of course, he did," Steve muttered. 

"Jealous, huh?" Tony asked, looking up at him with a smirk. 

"I'm not jealous of that ignorant, close minded, son of a bitch," Steve replied sharply. 

"You really hate that guy. Wow." Tony paused his walking to glance at Steve. 

"Did you even  _ hear  _ what he was saying?" Steve asked incredulously. 

"Honestly, I try to ignore everything he says." Tony continued walking, shrugging his shoulders. 

"Except when he's trying to make a move." 

That was when they reached their doors and Tony paused. For a moment, Steve thought he wasn't going to reply, but then he did, "Do you want to find that stupid rock and those kids or not? He probably won't come. He always chickens out. But if he does come, I'll turn him away. I just want to be careful. Unless you want to get caught sneaking around." 

Steve clenched his jaw and before he responded to him, he gave Peter's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Go get changed, Pip. I'll be right in." 

Peter looked up and glanced between the both of them. He settled on Steve. "You okay?" 

"We're fine, Pip. Go sleep." He ruffled his hair before giving him a little nudge towards the door. 

With only a moment of hesitation, Peter walked away and into their shared room, leaving Tony and Steve alone in the hallway. 

Steve turned to Tony and smiled, walking a little bit closer to him. "Everyone's still up in here, you know. It probably wouldn't be a great idea to start sneaking around yet." 

Tony continued walking to his room and stopped just as he opened the door so he could lean against the doorway as he turned to stare at Steve. Steve was only a few inches behind him. "Oh, really?" 

"Mhmm," Steve kept his voice low.

"And what do you propose we do while we wait, Captain?" Tony raised his eyebrows. 

"I think we both have the same idea." Steve lifted his hand to caress Tony's cheek gently. 

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tony said, but Steve knew he knew exactly what he was talking about. 

"Oh, really? Like you haven't been begging for me every time you look at me since we first met." Steve rolled his eyes, bringing his hand down to his waist. "Wouldn't take very long, doll." 

Tony froze and then used his hand to push Steve's hand off of him.  _ "Wouldn't take very long?"  _

"Yeah…" Steve said, unsure of what had Tony's attitude changing so quickly. 

"Because I'm the one that's all over you, huh?" 

"Well," Steve said, shrugging his shoulders. Then Steve was shoved back and it took him a moment to realize Tony was shoving him away. He furrowed his brow as he stared at him. "Tony--." 

"I'm not just another notch on your belt, Rogers." 

"I know--." 

"I'm not like all of the other men and women you swoon on these little adventures. You can't just bat those blue eyes at me and expect me to be putty in your hands!" 

"All the other--." Steve sputtered. "What are you talking about? I don't have all of these other people."

"Oh, so you don't shove Peter to another room and get some alone time with whatever  _ dame  _ you find yourself with?" 

Steve was honestly offended by the insinuation. "So, you think I just sleep around with every person I meet like I'm some whore?" 

"You think I'm ready to jump into your bed and, and, and let you finish me off in five minutes like I'm some slut!" 

"I never said that," Steve said, daring him to argue otherwise. 

"You didn't need to," Tony shot back, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"You've been undressing me with your eyes since you got in my car!" 

Tony huffed and turned into his room, putting a hand on the door. "Well, don't expect it anymore, Captain Rogers."

"Oh, please, doll. You'll be knocking down my door in five minutes." Steve narrowed his eyes at him. 

"And you'll be at mine in three." 

Steve gave him a sarcastic grin before turning away and storming towards his room. "We'll see about that," he grumbled under his breath. 

"Three minutes!" Tony shouted before slamming his door shut. 

Steve slammed his door a second later, though Tony wasn't there to hear it. Peter was, though. He was just finished changing into his original clothing when Steve got in there. He looked at Steve in concern and asked, "Everything okay, Stevie?"

"Just dandy," Steve said, already loosening his tie. He wanted to get out of this monkey suit as fast as he could, and while he would have preferred to be taking it off for Tony, this would have to do. 

"You get in a fight with Tony?" Peter had his Mets hat on, ready to go hunting.

Steve practically ripped off his pants and shirt before throwing them to the floor. He grabbed his own clothing and pulled it on, huffing angrily as he did so. Once he was dressed, he checked the clock and barely two minutes had passed. 

God, he wanted to go out there and run back to Tony. Show him that he wasn't just some expedition. Not for Steve. 

"Captain Rogers?" 

"Not now, Pipsqueak!" Steve yelled louder than necessary as he paced back and forth. He was a stubborn man, but was he stubborn enough to lose Tony? 

He didn't want to be. 

Tony was...Tony got on the plane with him. Tony followed him through the jungle. Tony was different. 

Steve wanted Tony, even if it meant crawling back on his hands and knees to beg for forgiveness. And, hey, maybe Tony was into that. 

Immediately, he stopped his pacing and turned back towards the door to walk back out into the hallway. Peter's voice stopped him before he could reach the doorknob. "Captain Rogers--." 

He glanced over his shoulder. "I'll be right back, Pip. I'm going to Tony's room for a few minutes. Do not follow me. Stay put."

"Captain Rogers!" He said again, this time with more panic in his voice. Steve didn't have time to ask or even guess why before there was something being wrapped around his neck. 

His hands flew to his neck as he felt the rope start to cut off his air supply. He looked to the ground and saw his bag thrown to the ground with some of their stuff littered about. His whip was nowhere in sight. 

Peter looked terrified as he stared at him and shouted. "Captain Rogers!" 

Steve grunted as he tried prying the whip from around his throat. It didn't budge. Without another thought, he slammed his head backwards into whosoever head was behind him. The pressure on his throat disappeared and Steve got into action without missing a beat. 

It was almost embarrassingly easy for Steve to whirl around, grab his whip, and knock the man to the ground. He kept an eye on Peter to ensure he stayed out of harm's way as he ran to the tray they had been served drinks on just after their arrival. 

He refrained from using the whip on the man when Peter was standing right there. It wouldn't do much but cause pain and slow him down. Steve wanted him knocked out, not shouting in pain. 

Swiping the glasses off the tray sent them shattering to the ground. He wondered if Tony heard any of this ruckus. Then he grabbed the empty tray and just as he turned around with it, the man was getting to his feet and going right for Peter. 

With an aimed throw, he sent the tray sailing through the air like a frisbee and it collided right into the man's temple. The tray and the man hit the ground like a bag of bricks. 

Peter was obviously shaken, staring at the unconscious man with wide eyes. Steve ran and picked up their things, shoving them into the bag before grabbing Peter's hand and dragging him across the room. 

"Who was that, Stevie?!" Peter shouted, turning around to look at him. 

"He's trouble, Pip, and we gotta get outta here." Steve grabbed his hat off the hook just before running out of the room and slamming the door shut behind him. 

He ran right across the hall to Tony's room and didn't even knock before barging in. The furthest thing from his mind was hoping he was dressed still. 

And he was. 

He was lounging across his bed, staring expectedly at the doorway like he was waiting for Steve. Steve ignored him and started to check his room for any men hiding out waiting to kill them. 

"I knew you'd come running back, Captain Rogers--." He stopped short, but Steve wasn't sure why. He was too busy checking underneath his bed for any trained assassins. "What the hell is Peter doing in here?" 

Oh, that's why. 

"Saving your life, doll!" 

Tony groaned, getting off the bed and following Steve across the room. "Steve, can you  _ please  _ tell me why you brought him? I know I said he was your little shadow, but there are some things he does not need to be attached at your hip for." 

Steve was checking in the wardrobes and under couches and behind dressers. He didn't even know where the man was hidden in his room. 

Peter was in there all alone before he got in there and that man was just  _ waiting  _ to attack. God, what if Steve did follow Tony into his room and that man got tired of waiting? The thought churned his stomach. 

Once he was finished with his search and found nothing, he turned around to face Tony. "They're here." 

"What?" Tony frowned, glancing from Steve to Peter and then back to Steve. "What are you talking about." 

Steve closed the distance between the two of them and kept his voice low. Who knew where they had ears listening. "They had a man waiting to kill me. They're hiding something and don't like me hanging around and poking my nose in things." 

Tony's face paled slightly, their argument out of mind for now. "What do we do?" 

"We need to find the stone. And the kids. And we need to do it  _ now."  _

Tony nodded his head a few times before he actually got to action. He ran to put his shoes on quickly as Steve went back towards the door with Peter at his side. Once finished, he joined them. "Where are we going to even look?" 

"Remember that Thanos statue?" Steve asked, recalling it himself. He had to remember which hallway it was done. He remembered seeing it on the way to dinner, so it couldn't have been too far. 

"Yeah…" 

"There's got to be a clue or something there." Steve took off in a run when he knew where he had to go. "Come on," he urged the other two. "We have to go. Tony, if Justin stops us, it's your job to distract him." 

"Are you sure?" Tony shot right back at him. "With a guy like me, that would only buy you a minute or two." 

Okay, so maybe their argument wasn't  _ completely  _ out of mind. 

"Tony." 

"Steve." 

"Pipsqueak!" 

They both turned to look down at Peter, who was doing an excellent job at keeping up with them. Steve found himself smiling, despite the situation. 

Thankfully, the statue was down the next hallway and they weren't stopped by Justin, Norman, or any other men dressed in all black. 

Steve didn't waste a second before he was running his hands along the marble, trying to find  _ anything.  _ Peter helped on the lower part of the statute, probably having no idea what he was doing. 

"Why would there be something--?" 

Tony's doubt was cut off by a clicking and then the statue was moving, along with a portion of the wall, revealing a dark tunnel. 

The three of them stood there, staring at the entrance with wonder. Steve was the first to recover and reached into his bag to grab a small torch and match. 

"Are you going in there?" Tony asked, sounding disgusted at even the thought of it. 

"Of course. Only way we'll find the kids." Steve turned down to Peter, who was already straightening his hat. "You coming in too, Pip?" 

He nodded his head firmly. "Yes, Captain Rogers!" 

"I'm going to stay out here," Tony replied, staring at the dark entry uneasily. 

Steve smirked at him. "Scared?" 

"No. I just think one of us should be look-out. In case this thing closes and the only way to open the door is from the outside." He was quick with that response. "And if anyone comes this way, I'll distract them." 

"Alright. Be careful," Steve warned, the memory of that man attacking him still fresh on his mind. 

"Of course,  _ Captain Rogers."  _

Steve knew he was mocking the way Peter addressed him, but he didn't take the bait. He just rolled his eyes and walked into the hole in the wall with Peter right by his side. 

Once inside, he lit the torch and held it out front of them. It didn't illuminate more than a foot in front of them, but it helped them find their way. And after turning down to another hallway within the wall, something started to crunch beneath their feet. Steve lowered the torch and discovered they were walking on a floor covered in insects. They were crawling everywhere, including up their shoes. 

Peter made a small squeak of panic and Steve was quick to soothe him. "Hey, you're alright. They can't hurt you." Steve brushed them off him gently and then straightened up. 

They continued walking through the bug filled corridor into a dark room that was thankfully bug free-- or what seemed like bug free. 

He couldn't find anything though. This was protected by a secret entrance and bugs...it had to be something important. 

"Don't touch anything, Pip. Step where I step, okay?" He didn't know where any more boobytraps might be set up, but he didn't want Peter to find them. 

Unfortunately, he was too late. Only a few seconds after he said that, he heard Peter messing with something behind him, a bang, and then Peter shouting. 

Steve whirled around and immediately lifted Peter off the ground and into his arms. He saw a pile of bones on the ground from a now open closet. 

Peter was breathing rapidly as he clung to Steve. Steve rubbed his back soothingly as he set him back on his feet. "I step where you step!" 

Steve rolled his eyes, knowing that was bullshit. The kid always found his way into trouble. 

"Are you two okay?" Tony's concerned voice traveled through the secret hallway. 

Fixing Peter's hat so it was on straight, Steve turned back towards where they came from. "We're just fine, doll!" 

Peter walked deeper into the room that the hallway led into and Steve followed. He surveyed the room doing a 360° spin and Peter walked closer to the opposite wall, where there was a small doorway that looked like it would lead them to another dark hallway. 

Then suddenly, a stone wall was closing the entrance where they came from. Steve knew they weren't going to make it through that one and almost leaped through the other exit before that door sealed shut. But he glanced back at Peter who still hadn't moved and gave up. He wasn't about to leave Peter trapped in there alone. 

Steve turned to look at Peter, who lifted his foot sheepishly. Underneath the sole of his shoe was a small pressure plate that he stepped on. "Sorry," he said, guiltily. 

Steve shook his head. "Just-- stay put. Don't touch. Don't move." 

Peter slowly stuck his hands in his pockets. 

Steve turned his torch back to the dark room they were now trapped in. He lowered it to the floor and instead of finding a million insects, he found dozens of bones. He gulped, knowing that these people probably trapped themselves just like he and Peter had. 

They starved to death and the only remains left were their old bones. Steve wondered how long these tunnels had been around. How many people got lost in these dark hallways? 

His pondering was interrupted by another loud noise, this time from above. Steve looked up and saw that the ceiling was slowly coming down on them, with spikes. 

Steve turned to Peter who was raising his hands and insditing, "I didn't touch! I listen to you, Captain Rogers." 

He didn't believe him, but that really wasn't an issue now. He dove to him, dropping the torch, and curled himself around Peter. He wasn't sure if Tony would hear him, but he screamed as loud as he could. "Tony! Tony, help!" 

Peter was shaking in his arms. "Stevie, they're getting closer." 

"Don't look, Pip. Don't look." Steve tried to shield Peter from it before he screamed for Tony again. Steve doubted he could hear him and he doubted that he'd go through the first room of bugs to even get here.

Steve was getting ready to say his goodbyes to Peter when he heard Tony from the other side of the wall. He was shouting, of course. "Steve, there were bugs-- there are bugs all over me!" 

Hearing Tony so close had Steve getting hopeful. They had a chance to be saved. "Tony, there should be a button out there! A trigger to open these doors again!" 

It was like Tony didn't hear him. "There are two dead people out here!" 

Steve looked up at the spikes coming dangerously close. Those two skeletons out there didn't seem like a problem. "There are about to be two more dead people in here!"

"What do I do?" He screamed back, still sounding just as spooked. 

"The door! Is there something by it?" 

Tony's answer was hesitant. "Uh, there's a hole in the wall." 

"Stick your hand in there! There should be a button!" Steve heard Peter sniffling quietly in his arms. He wondered if Peter could hear his heart beating out of his chest. 

Tony's shout came a moment later. "That is filled with  _ bugs!  _ No way!" 

Steve was getting impatient-- no he was running out of time. He felt a spike pushing against the rim of his hat. "Tony, if you don't then  _ we die!"  _

He heard Tony struggling with himself to stick his hand in there and Steve squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the first rusty spike to impale him. He wished he could block them completely from Peter. He didn't deserve to die like this. 

But just as he was praying for God to let Peter hurt as little as possible, the spikes were lifting. Steve looked up and watched in disbelief as the ceiling returned back to its original spot. 

The doors opened and Tony came running in, screaming about a bug that bit him when he stuck his hand in the hole. Steve was too busy enjoying every breath he could take in  _ because he was alive  _ to pay attention. 

He didn't move until Tony hit the same button that Peter did. This time when the doors started to close, Steve was on his feet and shoving Tony to the exit with Peter's little hand gripped in his. He practically dragged him across the room before shoving him out. Then he pushed Tony with him. Just before the door closed on them, Steve dove out to the safety on the other side. 

He barely had time to recover from  _ that  _ before he was seeing just what that all led to. It wasn’t an exit or another hallway. 

It was an entire underground lair filled with a pit of lava, an altar, and dozens of men and women on their knees, bowing with their noses to the ground. 

There was a giant statue of Thanos in the middle of the altar and on his hand were three glowing stones. 

Steve couldn't believe what he saw. Not only one but three Infinity Stones. "Holy shit…" 

"What is that?" Peter asked, not keeping his voice down. 

Steve shushed him, even though they were up high on a ledge looking down on them all. "Chitauri. They're sacrificing to Thanos." 

"Sacrificing what?" Tony asked in a quiet voice, kneeling by Steve. At least he was finally done screaming about bugs. 

Steve just shook his head. He had no idea. But he watched as a man stepped onto the stage with another, this one much shorter and smaller than the other. 

He raised his hands and started to chant words in a language that Steve had never heard before. He wouldn't be surprised if it was made up by the Chitauri for their cultish religion. 

As he continued to chant, the man next to him fell to his knees with a shout of pain. The man stopped chanting and lifted the man up by his hair before continuing. His chest started to glow and the man didn't even hesitate before sticking his hand in his chest. 

The move had Steve confused and he didn't think it was possible. But then he started to see what was happening and immediately pulled Peter against his chest so he couldn't see the man rip the other man's beating heart from his chest. 

"I think I'm going to be sick," Tony whispered. 

Peter squirmed against his hold, trying to see, but Steve refused to let him see. He didn't need any more nightmares. 

The man holding the heart dropped the other man back to the ground, but he was still alive. Then he raised his hand and chanted louder and louder until the heart in his hand lit on fire and disappeared within seconds. 

Steve held his breath, wondering what the hell was going on. 

The man with no heart was lifted to his feet--  _ God, how was he still alive?  _ He was shoved into a cage, his arms and legs strapped down and then the cage was closed and it was being lowered to the lava below. 

The crowd lifted their heads and started to sing a song as the cage was lowered further and further. It wasn't until he started screaming and a loud roar erupted from  _ somewhere  _ that they started cheering. 

"We need to get the hell out of here," Tony said once it quieted down slightly. 

Steve shook his head. "I'm not leaving without those stones."

Tony stared at him incredulously. "You're going to get killed chasing after your damn fortune and glory!" 

Steve grabbed his hand and pulled him in gently. "Maybe one day. But not today." 

Tony didn't say a word, only stared at him with wide eyes before they trailed down to stare at his lips. Steve closed the gap between them and kissed him for only a few seconds. 

"I'll be right back," Steve promised to Tony, who was too dazed to fight back. 

"I keep my eyes open, Captain Rogers!" 

Steve winked at him before heading down to the altar. "Good boy. I'll be back soon. Wait here." 

"Do you really think it's going to be that easy?" Tony asked, finally moving from his spot where Steve's kiss froze him.

"Exactly that easy, doll." 

* * *

Exactly that easy. Bullshit. 

Tony wasn't the one going down there to steal from a statue that could probably kill them all, but he was still uneasy. 

They somehow ripped a heart from a man's chest, and then disintegrated it, and the man was still alive. Who knew what the hell else they could do. 

When the offering floor was finally empty, Steve turned to Tony and said, "I'll be right back. Just sit tight and wait." 

"I'll watch Tony!" Peter announced happily. 

Steve smiled down at him. "Thank you, Pip." Then he turned to Tony and warned him in a low voice. "Keep an eye on him. Please." 

Tony nodded his head even though he didn't want to be involved in any of this. 

"Good. I'll be right back." Steve winked before he started to climb down from their ledge and headed towards the floor. 

Tony held his breath as he watched Steve cross the altar and climb the statue to reach where the stones were. He pulled the first one out carefully and dropped it into his bag. Once he realized that didn't have any immediate consequences, he quickly took the other two as well. 

Then he climbed down and glanced up at them, giving them a thumb up. Tony waved for him to come back up. "Come on," he muttered. "Get up here." 

Steve was about to walk back towards them when he stopped suddenly. He twisted his head back and didn't hesitate before rushing up the altar and out of sight. 

Tony couldn't believe what the hell he just saw. He didn't know Steve all that well, but he knew him well enough to know he would never abandon Peter like this. 

So he wasn't ditching them for his own safety. 

He didn't have a chance to wonder what he was doing before he heard a new voice behind them. 

"What do we have here? Trespassers?" 

Tony whirled around and saw Norman Osborn looming down at them with a smirk. He didn't know what to say to make this any better. 

Norman focused his attention on Peter. "Well, isn't it past your bedtime, little one?" 

Tony hated the way he was staring at Peter. Then he remembered the missing children. Tony tried grabbing him, but he wasn't quick enough. One of the men with Norman grabbed him. 

Peter immediately began struggling and trying to bite the man holding him. 

A man tried grabbing Tony as well, but Peter managed to kick him in the head and Tony was free for a moment. 

"Run!" Peter yelled. "Get help! Run!"

Tony didn't want to leave Peter, but he knew he was no help to him trapped too. So he started running back from where they came from. 

"Run, Tony!" Peter screamed before letting out a sharp shout of pain. 

Tony wanted to turn back because why the hell was a child giving himself up for him? But he knew he couldn't. He had to keep running. So he ran through the hallways they just came through until he was back in the hallways of the palace. 

He was gasping on fresh air as he was back on the marble flooring. He didn't have time to stop and catch his breath before he was running, searching for anyone. Someone had to help.

Only a few moments into the running, he collided straight with Justin. They both fell to the ground and Justin only laughed. "Oh, Tony. I was just coming to see you." 

Tony could barely get his words out. "Justin, Norman isn't who you think he is! He's got an underground cult and they just ripped a man's heart out and they have Peter! Probably Steve too!" 

"What?" Justin asked, his face darkening. 

"He's been playing you. Whatever he wants here is more than just westernizing the country. We need to stop him!" 

Justin pushed himself up and offered a hand to Tony. Tony took it and let him pull him up to his feet. "Underground cult?" 

Tony nodded his head desperately. "I'll show you." 

But then Justin laughed and his entire demeanor changed. "Oh, Tony...how can you be so naive?" 

"What--?" Before Tony could fully process Justin's betrayal, something smashed into the back of his head and his world went black. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The little argument they have in the movie is so....dumb. so I tried my best. Imo, tony is a slut for steve and steve is a whore for tony. Yes there is difference and I love them.


	5. Chapter 5

Once Steve had the three stones in his bag, he was ready to go back to Tony and Peter. But then he heard them scream from further into the altar. Which was impossible because they were still up on the ledge. But he heard screaming. Crying.

Venturing past the giant statue of Thanos, Steve noticed that the altar was built on the ledge of a mine. 

That's where the crying was coming from. 

There were dozens of children chained as they worked in the mines. Men were standing above them, supervising their work. 

Just below him he saw where the screaming was coming from. There was a child on the ground, probably from exhaustion, and there was a man looming over him bringing a whip down on him. He waited a few seconds before whipping him again. 

Steve growled as he watched the man abuse the poor child. He wasn't thinking before he kneeled down, lifted a stone from the ground by his feet and threw it at the man's head. 

He smiled when he stopped whipping the child, but then he turned around. Their eyes locked and then Steve's heart dropped into his stomach. He turned to run backwards, but before he could get any farther than a step, there were three men behind him. 

They grabbed him before he could even think about dodging them, and they started dragging him away. 

He wasn't sure where they were or if they could even hear him, but he screamed anyway, "Peter! Tony! Run!"

* * *

Steve didn't know why it was relieving to see Peter chained up in the room they dragged him to. He'd rather have him here by his side than chained up with the kids below, being whipped because he didn't work fast enough.

They left him chained up to a wall and Peter immediately hurried forward to wrap his arms around him. 

There were two other kids chained up as well, but Steve didn't pay attention to them. Not when his own kid was right there. 

"Hey, Pip," Steve whispered as he hugged Peter as best as he could with the chains on his own wrists. He had much less mobility with the way he was chained up than Peter. 

Peter stayed quiet as he squeezed Steve in a hug and when he eventually pulled back, he gave him a hard look. "I told you to be careful!" 

"I know," Steve said. "I'm sorry." 

"I keep telling you, you listen to me, you live longer." He poked Steve in the chest and Steve couldn't help but chuckle. 

As he glanced at the other children though his laughter disappeared. He stared at them as he asked Peter, "Who are your friends, Pip?" 

"This is Shuri and Erik." Peter moved back from the hug. "They are children from the village. Wakanda. They bring them here to dig in the mines." 

Steve saw that much, but he didn't understand. "Why?" 

The girl, Shuri, spoke, "We are small. We fit in the tunnels." 

Steve was impressed with her English. "What are you doing up here?"  _ What were Steve and Peter doing here?  _

"I fight too much. Erik is too big." She shrugged her shoulders, sounding proud of herself for being defiant enough to be separated. 

"What are they looking for?" Steve could still hear the clang of the metal picks on the rocks. 

"Missing stones," Shuri answered, a bitter sound in her voice. "And strong metal. Vibranium. Evil white man wants it all. He takes and takes." 

Steve sighed, remembering the broken hearts and teary eyes of the mothers missing their children in Wakanda. "I will get you home. I promise." 

"I'm not getting home." 

Steve frowned. "Why not?" 

"The evil of Thanos will take me." Her voice was too cold and resigned for a child. 

"What? How?"

"They will make me drink the blood of Thanos. Then I fall into a deep sleep. I am still awake and alive, but I am like them. I cannot control it. No one wakes from the nightmare of Thanos." 

He wanted to ask her more about this blood and nightmare. She seemed like she knew a decent amount of what was going on in here. But before he could, their cell was opened up again and Norman walked inside. "Your turn, Captain Rogers." 

Peter moved in front of him, puffing out his chest. "You want him, you need to get through me first, mister!" 

Norman just smirked down at him. "I cannot wait." He turned to the two guards behind him. "Get them and bring them to the altar." 

Steve fought his guard and struggled until he heard Peter let out a shout of pain. Then he went still and compliant as they dragged him out of the cell. 

"I'll listen. Just don't hurt him." 

"Oh, we don't plan to. It's up to you to keep it that way."

* * *

Tony woke up to someone brushing their hand against his cheek. The last thing he remembered was Steve caressing his face outside of his bedroom. 

He fluttered his eyes open and expected to see Steve laying in bed next him. But he didn't see Steve. He saw Justin kneeling next to him as he laid on something much harder than that mattress in the palace. 

He shoved backwards, trying to fight past the fog in his mind. Justin just kept staring at him with a smile. "Hello, Tony." 

"Justin, what the hell." He glanced behind Justin and saw three men with guns. Then he remembered the same men grabbing Peter and dragging him away. He went to find help and that was when Justin knocked him out. "Where's the kid?"

Justin frowned, tilting his head. "The kid?" 

"Yes. The kid. He was with me and then those-- assholes grabbed him! Where did they bring him?" 

Laughing, Justin shook his head. "I don't know who you're talking about, dearest." 

"Don't call me that," Tony seethed. Steve was the only one allowed to give him pet names like that. 

"Oh, come on, Tony. Don't be like that." He reached for Tony's face again. Tony slapped his hand and Justin's smile disappeared. His face was cold. "I'm giving you a chance out of this, Tony. The boy and the Captain...I can't save them. But you...I can. And we can be together." 

Tony felt a growl rumble through his throat. "Was that your plan, Hammer? Did you really think you could just make me forget the fact that-- that you kidnapped children and you're ripping the hearts out of people for, for some  _ sick  _ cult." 

Justin clenched his teeth together and it took him a moment to speak. When it did, he sounded almost pained to say it, "One last chance, Tony."

"Go to hell, Hammer." 

Justin stood up to his full height, towering over Tony as he laid on the slab of concrete. "If I can't have you, then the only one that can is Thanos." 

Tony's eyes widened as Justin turned around. "I'm sorry.  _ What?"  _

Justin ignored him. "Get him ready, boys. We're gonna have another offering." 

* * *

Steve struggled as they finished chaining him up to one of the many statues they had of Thanos. Thick chains wrapped around his waist, pinning his arms to his side. There was also a heavy shackle around his neck that Steve really didn't think was entirely necessary. 

He wasn't going to fight them when they had Peter just a few feet in front of him. He wasn't chained up, probably because they didn't fear a kid. Peter was scrappy, but didn't have the strength to match these grown men. 

Steve kept glancing over at them when he heard his chains rattle. "Assholes, don't hurt him!" 

Norman tugged on the chain around Steve's neck forcing him to turn his attention back towards him. "You were caught trying to steal the Infinity Stones." 

Steve glared up at him, noticing the gold sparkle to his eyes. He wondered if it was maybe a reflection of one of the fires burning. "And  _ you  _ stole it from a village. Along with their children!" 

Norman turned and stared down at the three stones that he placed back on a small statue. The stones glowed gold, purple, and red. "There were once six Infinity Stones. But through the centuries, they were lost in wars and sold off by thieves just like you." 

"So three are still missing," Steve noted. 

"There is one close by. Maybe all three. Stories tell of the people of this country hiding them in their soil. They thought they were hidden enough to hide them forever." He dragged his hands against the surface the stones were resting on.

"Is that what you've got these children--  _ these slaves _ digging for?" Steve jerked against the bonds keeping him still subconsciously out of rage. 

"They dig for  _ anything  _ to support our cause!" Norman shouted, turning back around to face Steve. "They also search for the last three stones! Once we have all six, the Chitauri will be all powerful. We will accomplish what Thanos set out to centuries ago!" 

Steve raised his eyebrows with a scoff. "Well, no one can say you don't have a vivid imagination." 

Norman stilled before coming closer and leaning close to his face. "Do you not believe me, Captain Rogers? Because I promise you...soon, you will." 

"You know what I believe?" Steve asked rhetorically. "I believe that you're crazy. You have  _ children  _ enslaved. You have a child of your own! How  _ could _ you?" 

Norman didn't seem to care at all and that was a clue that  _ something  _ was wrong. Peter wasn't his by blood and he didn't know him for long really, but he would die for that boy. When he saw these kids, all he could imagine was Peter taking their place. 

In fact, Norman laughed. Honest to God chuckled at the comment. "Speaking of that boy." He gestured to the dark corner of the room they were in and Harry stepped forward. Before he completely stepped out of the dark, his eyes glowed gold. "He wanted to watch." 

"Harry!" Peter shouted before he let out a squeal of pain. 

Steve's eyes shot to them. "Don't hurt him!" 

"You don't have to worry," Harry said in a creepily calm voice. There was something in his hand that Steve couldn’t make out. "I was finally old enough to try the blood. I feel powerful. You will like the feeling." 

Steve remembered that child telling him and Peter about the blood of Thanos, the curse. Steve wondered how much of it was real. Looking at Harry should have been his answer, but still, Steve had his doubts. 

Harry must have seen it on his face. He lifted the object in his hand for him to see. It was a doll that was made to resemble  _ him.  _ He even had his same hat. "If you don't listen, I will make you!"

"You leave him alone!" Peter shouting, always defending him. 

Then there were men on top of him practically to hold him still and pry his jaw open. Norman was holding a skull that Steve hoped wasn't real. Silently, he tipped the skull forward and a thick liquid spilled into his mouth. It had the same consistency as blood, but it glowed gold like their eyes.

"Spit it out! Bad blood, Stevie!" Peter screamed, his fear obvious.

Waiting for the skull to be pulled back, he spit it back up at Norman. His face was splattered with the gold  _ blood.  _

Norman wiped his face slowly and spoke in a low voice. His eyes were no longer tinged with gold. They were glowing. "Hold him down. Make him drink it." 

"I will control him!" Harry hurried to the slab where the stones were. He placed the doll down and grabbed the red stone. Using his small fingers, he pulled at a hole in the doll's chest and then shoved the stone deep inside. He was looking back at Steve when he lifted the doll up and brought it over to a fire and held it just above the flames.

Steve immediately started to feel hot. Beads of sweat formed on his hairline, underneath his hat. Just coincidence. 

Then Harry lowered the doll so the flames were licking it. Steve couldn't help the shout of pain he let out. 

He felt that. No doubt about it. The stone somehow connected him to that doll. Just like they were connected to the gold stone. 

Norman smirked. "Are you going to drink it now?" 

"I'd die first." 

Norman turned around and walked away from him. "I can make that happen." He bent down and picked up Steve's bag they confiscated and then pulled his whip out. 

Steve gritted his teeth and kept his expression stoic. 

"But before I make such a drastic decision, let's see if I can persuade you first." He waved his hand and then Steve was being unchained around his wrists and they ripped off his leather jacket. Then they turned him around and the chain around his neck tugged painfully as they shoved his chest against the concrete statue and rechained his hands.

Bracing himself for the first lash across his back helped him keep his mouth sealed shut just barely. He grunted but refused to make a pained sound. 

"Stevie!" Peter shouted, sounding like he was close to crying. "Stop hurting him!" 

Norman laughed and whipped him again and again, making his back burn in pain. "Change your mind yet?" 

Steve squeezed his eyes shut, just trying to focus on block out the pain. But then he heard Peter let out a shout of pain and Steve craned his neck to see him pressed against a wall. Harry had a whip of his own and was cracking it against his back. 

"Hey, leave him alone, bastards!" 

No one listened and for a few long moments, there was just the sound of two whips cracking within a second of each other and Peter's cries. Eventually, Peter's cries died down to whimpers and Steve saw him sagging against the wall, no strength to even hold himself up. Not long after, Norman threw his whip to the ground and then Harry followed suit. Steve was unchained and then turned around and rechained. He groaned in pain when his back was pressed against the concrete. Peter was held between two men, his little body lax in their hold. 

Steve let his head sag, resting on his chest. Norman pressed his head down to keep it there. "One day you will all be bowing to Thanos." 

Steve didn't answer and wouldn't have even if he could. He was focusing on controlling his breathing as he felt blood dripping down his back. 

Then his head was being ripped up and one of the men squeezed his cheeks, forcing his jaw to open. The skull was brought back to his lips and when the blood poured inside, Steve didn't have the strength to fight it. His eyes widened though as he felt himself choking on the blood. Norman didn't stop pouring even when it was overflowing out of his mouth. 

Norman dropped the skull once it was empty and covered Steve's mouth and nose with his palm. He smirked down at him as Steve was forced to swallow it. 

Steve felt nauseous immediately and kinda hoped he'd throw up so he could get it out of his body. If he had use of his hands, he'd stick his fingers down his throat to make himself sick. 

"Let him lay down while the curse settles. Bring the boy with the other children." Norman waved the men away that were holding Peter and they started to drag him away. 

Steve weakly called out for him, but he didn't even know how loud his voice was. He could only lay there as he watched them disappear with Peter, his poor back torn and slashed open from the whip. His shirt was stained with blood and it only continued to seep out. 

"Are you ready to give yourself to Thanos?" Norman asked, a wicked grin on his face. 

On a normal day, Steve would have had a quick retort to that. But not now. All he could do was moan pitifully as he was dragged away too, the opposite direction Peter was brought. 

* * *

Steve was left alone to lay down on an altar table surrounded by lit candles. He groaned as he felt his entire body burning from the inside out. 

He didn't feel as sick to his stomach any more, but all he felt was  _ pain.  _

His mind was boiling. There was no other way to describe it. His thoughts were muddled and he couldn't keep a thought straight. 

His muscles were tensing up and he couldn't control it as he writhed on the slab. He kicked out his legs as his muscles cramped in pain.

His screams echoed back to him off of the concrete walls. He shook violently as he twitched and tensed. Did anyone hear him? Did Peter have to listen to him? What were they doing to Peter? Were they hurting him like they were hurting Steve? 

Steve let out another loud cry at that thought and the pain of a million knives stabbing his insides. He couldn't take it anymore. God, why-- it hurt so bad.

Then the pain stopped. He felt nothing. He thought nothing-- except for one thing. 

He sat up on the slab and laughed in the dim lighting. Nothing was going to stop him from doing his job. He'd get it done easily. 

It was the least he could do to serve Thanos. 

* * *

If there was one thing Peter hated above all else, it was being told what to do. He might have looked like a kid, but he wasn't. He had been on his own for a long time and he was capable of doing what he wanted. 

The only person he would ever listen to was Stevie because he was good and he was family. Stevie looked out for him and as much as Peter hated to admit it, he was smarter. He knew about more and sometimes, Peter needed his help. 

But now Peter was alone and Stevie was nowhere. They dragged him off after they made him drink the blood. Peter was taken somewhere else, with all the other children. They chained his ankles together and then did the same to his wrists before shoving a dull pick-ax in his hands. There was blood on the wooden shaft and Peter wondered how many kids used this before him and where they were now. 

He had tried talking to any of the children around him, picking away at the rocky walls, but after getting whipped for the fifth time, he stopped. 

Normally, Stevie was the one to rescue him, but he was the one that needed help now. And it was up to Peter to save  _ him _ this time. 

He surveyed around him as he hit the wall with the ax. They were supposed to be looking for diamonds and infinity stones, but Peter was too busy looking for a way out. It was hard to do when there was always some big bad guy behind him, cracking down the whip on a child just because they weren't working fast enough. 

Peter glanced behind him just in time to see a small child, smaller than him, fall over. He didn't get back up, not that Peter was surprised. It was hot in these tunnels and they weren't given any breaks or water. They were just worked and worked until they couldn't anymore. 

A big guard stormed over and raised his arm to bring down the whip. He shouted in a language Peter didn't understand before whipping him again. The child only let out a weak cry but didn't get up. 

Peter noticed the man's eyes glowing gold as he screamed down at the child. He couldn't let that kid get hurt. Peter was strong, like Stevie. He could take anything. 

"Hey!" He picked up a rock and tossed it at the guard. It bounced off his arm like it was nothing, but it did what he wanted and the man looked at him with a growl. 

The guard came over and whipped him across the back twice. The other kids around him went back to work to avoid being struck too. The guard had his arm raised for another strike when the kid next to Peter moved a rock and a spew of lava came out. 

It hit the guards right in the legs and he immediately fell down screaming. The screaming and the smell of burning flesh had the other children cowering. Peter couldn't sit there and watch the man in obvious pain, even if he just finished beating him. 

Peter scrambled to throw some dirt on his legs before grabbing a gunny sack they were given to put their findings in and started to wipe the lava off. 

He looked up at the man's face and his eyes flickered from their glowing gold to...normal. He stared down at Peter like he was confused. Then the confusion was replaced with horror. "What--." 

Before he could say anything else, he was being dragged off by two other guards. 

"No!" He screamed. "I don't want to go back!"

He was dragged off anyway and the kids arounds Peter got right back to work even when there wasn't a guard looming over to beat them. Peter didn't though. He was too busy thinking about that man's eyes. They were back to normal. 

He turned to a kid next to him and shouted excitedly, "His eyes went out!" Peted grinned. "I can save Stevie!" 

None of the other children cared, or maybe they couldn't understand English. It didn't matter. He could save Stevie! 

He turned to the chains around his ankles and used his ax to start banging it against them. After a few hard smashes, the chains broke in half and he was free to run. 

He didn't waste a minute before running through the crowd of children and past guards. He had a best friend to save, no matter what tried to stop him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like there's a total of 4 people, including me and IronPengu, who are hyped for this fic. But I thank you if you are here and hyped. Even if no one reads this, I'm still loving it so much.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> People actually commented last chapter 🥺 thank you 
> 
> Also this was the hardest chapter to write bc I hate writing action scenes. But once I started, it was rolling and I like how this turned out! So I hope it's okay...my brain literally hurts after writing this so excuse mistakes. I'll fix them later.

The funny thing was that Tony was used to this. Getting dressed up, playing a role for someone else's benefit, not having free will in anything...he was used to that. 

The differences this time were minor. Lava, chains, being a sacrifice to some made up god...yeah, that was all new. 

They painted his face and his chest, gave him a flower crown and a stone necklace. Honestly, Tony knew they were involved in some creepy cult, but this was next level shit. 

Tony let them know as much. "You know this is some real freaky shit. Not you say the same thing at the same time as your best friend kind of freaky. Not a grandma's basement smelling of decaying carcass freaky. Not even expecting vanilla sex until your partner comes in with whipped cream on their nipples freaky." Tony smirked as his mind went to Steve. "Actually that's a freaky I wouldn't mind. Hell, I'd encourage it."

"Do you shut up?" Justin snapped as he walked by Tony's side as they dragged him towards the main altar. The one surrounded by lava.

"No. Consider it my one flaw." 

Justin scoffed and walked ahead, causing the other men to start dragging him quicker and rougher. They didn't stop until they were at the metal cage that was just used earlier to send another guy down to the lava below...after his beating heart was ripped from his chest.

Tony was shoved backwards into the metal cage and before he could get his footing to get away, one of his wrists were locked into cuffs strapping them above his head, the other was held to his side.

Another man that Tony remembered seeing in the other sacrifice earlier, stepped forward, and the fires surrounding them made shadows on him even creepier. He was speaking another language in a low rumble. It sounded an awful lot like what was changed before this guy was sticking his hand in another's chest. 

Tony wished he could cover his chest to at least put something between them. "You better stay the hell away from me," he warned. "There is only one man allowed to steal my heart." 

The man used the hand not pinning Tony's arm to his side to point somewhere behind him. Tony followed where his hand was gesturing to and saw Steve standing there. In nothing but his pants,  _ hello.  _ "Speaking of...there he is." 

The man's lips curled into a wicked smirk. 

"Steve! Hey, wanna come over here, be a dear and get me out of here?" Tony called, wondering why the hell he was just  _ standing there.  _

Steve walked over, but when he did, he didn't break Tony out. He cupped his cheek gently and just stared. 

Tony leaned into the touch but still implored, "What are you doing?" 

Steve didn't say a word as he traced down Tony's cheek and then jawline with his fingers. His eyes glowed gold. 

Tony felt his heart skip a beat. "Steve, what the hell?" 

Steve's hand went down his side and took the hand from the man. He held it gently and brought it to his face. Tony held his breath, hoping he was going to press a kiss to his knuckles. But instead, he kept moving it up until it was in the other shackle. Just like the other hand. Now he was really trapped. 

He started chanting just like the other man had and as it grew stronger so did the gold in his eyes. Tony shook his head as Steve pulled his hand away and even with all of the fire in the room, Tony felt cold. "No, Steve. Please. What are you doing?" 

Steve only glowered down at him and between the no shirt and the sheen of sweat covering his skin, Tony really didn't expect for this to be the situation. 

"Steve, snap out of it!" Tony said, panicking more now that he was shutting the cage. This was real. There was no back-up plan. Whatever was going on with these men was happening to Steve. 

He paused before stepping away and just smiled at Tony. Tony gathered all the spit in his mouth to send flying on his cheek. Steve didn't even flinch, neither did his smile. 

He stepped away and the cage lifted up before turning so that Tony was lying horizontally and staring down at the ground. He started to scream, not caring how pathetic it might have sounded. "Steven Rogers! Get me the hell out of here!" 

He was ignored as his cage was shifted over the lava and slowly started to descend closer to the burning fire. He felt the heat already burning his skin as he was lowered. 

He screamed the entire way down as he felt bullets of sweat begin pouring down his body. He was sure if he survived this, he'd come out with burns even if the fire didn't touch him. 

"Steve!" He called one last time in hopes that Steve would hear him calling and break out of that trance. But he never found out if he heard him or not. Not before the pain from the heat surrounded him tugged him into darkness. And if this was how he was going to go out, maybe that was a blessing in disguise. 

  
  


* * *

Peter kept running even after all of the men chasing him. He just pretended he was Captain Rogers as he dodged swords and whips. He heard kids cheering him on as he ran and he hoped he got to Stevie in time so they could free these kids before they were hurt even more. 

Peter didn't want to see another whip in his life, not even Stevie's. 

By some miracle, he made it back out to the big room where he saw Stevie standing. He was surrounded by other men as they all stared down at something in the lava pit. His back was all bloody from the whip lashes. Peter still felt his stinging. He hoped at least Stevie didn't feel pain while under the spell. 

Stevie always planned his attacks before running into danger, but Peter didn't have a chance to. So he just ran right to Stevie's side like he always did. 

He grabbed onto Stevie's hand and tugged fiercely, begging him to wake up. Stevie turned quickly and brought his hand up before sending it down swiftly, backhanding Peter across the face. The hit was so hard it sent Peter to the ground and his hand was thrown off his head. Peter felt his eyes burn along with his cheek as he stared up at Stevie. 

This wasn't him. Peter knew that and he knew it was up to him to save him. 

So he sniffled back his tears and pushed himself up to his feet, dodging a man that tried grabbing him. He grabbed a torch off the wall and ran back to Stevie. Hesitating only a second, he held it towards Stevie's side. "I love you, Stevie!" 

Stevie turned around and stared down at him with a scary smile. Peter hated it and didn't want to see it anymore so he closed his eyes and stuck his side with the flame of the torch. 

Stevie screamed and jumped back as Peter was grabbed by the men. Peter kicked and fought them as they tried keeping him still. His eyes never left Stevie as he held his side, crouching over. 

Peter felt bad, but knew the only way they were getting out of here was with Stevie on their side. He grunted and kicked as another man tried grabbing his foot. "Stevie!" 

Stevie turned around immediately after Peter yelled for him. Peter felt heat on his back as they pulled him closer to the lava, but Stevie's loud voice stopped them. "Stop!" 

Peter held his breath, hoping Stevie was back. 

"He's mine!" 

Peter let out a cry as Steve stormed over and grabbed a fistful of his shirt. He dragged him close to the edge and dangled him over the lava. Peter's feet were just brushing against the ground, but even still, part of Peter hoped Stevie wouldn't drop him. 

He wasn't so convinced. 

Not until Stevie's face softened and he winked. "It's me, Pip." 

Peter's eyes widened. "Stevie…" 

"Ready to kick ass?" 

Peter blinked away any tears and nodded his head. Stevie smiled wide before lifting him back to his feet on safe ground. Then they took off, fighting back to back. 

Peter couldn't handle anything more than shin and between the legs shots, so once he had them stunned, they rotated and Stevie finished them off. 

They were the perfect team. 

After lots of punching, kicking, and throwing off the side, finally this side of the altar was clear. Many guys went running away, probably scared. 

Peter smiled at Stevie as the last guy was knocked out, but Stevie didn't have time to smile back. He ran right to what looked like a giant pirate wheel and started turning it. Peter noticed his struggling and ran over to help him. 

After a few moments of grunting and pushing, the cage was back up...with Mr. Tony inside it! Steve lowered it to the ground before running over and falling to his knees by the cage. 

Peter followed him, but Stevie lifted his hand. "Too hot, Pip!" Peted stayed still, but that warning didn't stop Stevie from grabbing the handle with his bare hand and pulling it. 

He let out a short yelp, but didn't let go until he was pulling Mr. Tony out of there. His face was red and blistered as he still slept. Peter felt his tummy flip in circles at the thought he might be dead. "Captain Rogers…" 

"Not now!" Stevie snapped as he shook Mr. Tony in his arms. "C'mon, doll...wake up!" 

And like it was magic, he did. Mr. Tony blinked his eyes open and then lifted a shaking arm up to slap Stevie across the face. 

"Tony, it's me!" Stevie yelled, sounding relieved that he was awake. "It's me. I'm back!"

Tony softened in his hold and choked out, "Oh, Steve…" before wrapping his hand around the back of his neck and pulling him into a kiss. 

Peter quickly looked away, not wanting to see something as gross as that when they didn't stop right away and Tony's hand trailed down Stevie's bloody back. 

He gave them a few seconds before glancing back over to see Stevie helping Tony to his feet. Then he ran back over to the statue where the stones were and once again grabbed them. Peter ran to his side with their bag and Stevie quickly put them inside. 

Peter turned away to start leaving this place when Stevie put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. Peter turned around hesitantly and looked up at Stevie. He didn't have those gold eyes anymore. He was back to normal, but Peter couldn't forget how scary his face looked. 

Stevie had his ball cap in hand and put it back on his head before cupping the cheek he had slapped earlier gently. Peter stared at him silently as he kneeled down in front of him so they were eye to eye. Stevie didn’t say a word, but his face softened and he pulled Peter in for a hug. Peter melted in his hold, his eyes tearing up again for some reason. He squeezed them shut as he snuggled against Stevie’s chest, just letting him hold him. 

“Stevie, I thought I lost you,” he whispered, trying to keep his voice from breaking. 

“I’m sorry, Pip,” Stevie said, rubbing his back. Peter didn’t even care that his back was still sore from the whipping. He had Stevie back and that was all that mattered. 

Stevie pulled away and they locked eyes once more before he stood up, keeping a hand on Peter’s shoulder as he did so. Tony came up to them with Steve’s hat in hand and placed it on his head for him. His face was red like it was sunburnt. “Steve, now can we get the hell out of here?”

“Right,” Steve said, fixing his hat. “All of us.” 

* * *

Steve led the three of them through the tunnels back to where the mining hub was. He turned to Tony and said, “Just stay back. Out of trouble. For real this time. Watch the kid...please.” Steve glanced down at Peter and he gave him a small smile. That didn’t erase the memory of the terrified face he gave him when he held him over the lava. Steve would never forgive himself for slapping Peter. 

“We’ll be good, Captain Rogers. Promise.” 

Steve nodded his head before stepping out of the shadows of the tunnel and standing in front of a group of chained kids pushing along a full mine cart. Steve glared over their shoulders at one of the guards behind him. He stepped forward, ready to fight, but Steve was quicker. He sent his fist flying into his jaw and the man fell backwards, immediately unconscious. 

The children stared down at their abuser and then up at Steve in awe. 

“Go!” Steve yelled, already seeing more guard coming their way. 

One of the kids kneeled by the guard and took a ring of keys off of his belt before joining the others as they ran away down a tunnel. They had to know their way around this place. Steve believed they’d be okay. They just needed a little backup. 

Guard after guard came for Steve, but he fought everyone until they were on the ground. He thought about what they did to children and what they made him do to his own child. Nothing could stop him as he fought through the guards. 

It started raining rocks from above and they fell right on top of a group of guards before they could reach Steve. Steve looked up to see kids pushing them from the top levels. They just needed a little push for a revolution. 

“Tony! Pip! Come help me unlock all these kids!” Steve shouted, grabbing another key as dozens of kids surrounded him, shoving their locks up. He heard Peter and Tony run in behind him and start unlocking. Then those kids went and unlocked other kids before they started storming the tunnels in hoards. Steve assumed they were all going to the exit. 

Steve couldn’t until he finished all of these creeps. Starting with the man that was just emerging from the shadows with a grin on his face, eyes glowing gold. 

(Steve wasn’t sure which guards were scarier: the ones with the gold eyes or the ones without). 

Norman had a pickaxe in his hand and he swung at Steve. Steve easily ducked it and searched for any weapon he could use himself.

“Captain Rogers!” He heard Peter yell from somewhere behind him. 

“Keep him away!” Steve shouted back to Tony without turning around. Norman threw his pickaxe to the side before punching him in the chest and sending him to the ground. While Steve was on his hands and knees, about to pull himself up, Norman stomped on his back. Steve cried out as he felt the gashes on his back open again. 

“Stevie no!” 

Steve grit his teeth as he rolled over, avoiding another stomp and jumped to his feet. Peter was watching. He refused to let him see him get hurt again. He punched Norman twice before he was grabbed and shoved into a wall. His back was on fire already. 

“I have to save Stevie!” He heard Peter yell and he glanced over to see him struggling in Tony’s hold. 

Tony was holding him back, refusing to let the child join the fight. “He can take care of himself!”  _ God bless Tony.  _

Peter didn’t give in that easily as he kicked his feet wildly. “He needs me!” 

The distraction of those two was enough for Norman to send a punch to his stomach, causing him to double over. Norman shoved him right back up though to deliver another blow. Then in the next second, he was lifted over Norman’s shoulders. 

Steve felt nauseous enough to hurl and he briefly wondered if that might slow Norman down. 

He didn’t have to because he heard Peter, much closer than he was moments ago. He either got free or Tony decided that he needed rescuing from a child. “I kill you! Drop him down now!” 

Steve heard the sound of something hitting Norman’s flesh, but it didn’t phase him, whatever Peter was hitting him with. Then suddenly, he was dropped into a moving minecart and Steve pushed himself up, needing to see Peter. He couldn’t get hurt. Not again. 

Norman turned around and lifted Peter by his shirt as he continued to hit him with a block of wood. Then he threw Peter effortlessly into a pit beside the mine cart tracks. 

Steve made sure Peter sat up and moved so he knew he was okay before turning his attention back to Norman who was following the cart again. Norman got into the cart with him and when he was calm and took his time settling before starting to fight, Steve started throwing punches the moment he could. He actually caught him off guard and was hitting him again and again until a sudden sharp knife in his back caused him to tense up and yell. 

Well, it felt like a knife, but when he used his hand to reach back and feel for what the hell was there, there was nothing. Steve couldn’t even hold himself up through the sharp pain as he leaned out of the cart. He gasped through the pain, praying for it to  _ stop.  _

Tony was close by and screamed out, “What’s the matter with him?”

Through the pounding of his own heart, Steve just barely heard Peter yell, “Harry has the doll!” 

Harry has the doll...Steve lifted his head and glanced around the dark mine until he saw Harry standing from the top of a cliff. His eyes were glowing just like his father’s as he held that small doll of himself in one hand and had the other wrapped around a small knife punctured in the doll’s back. 

Peter was already on his feet, climbing a post made from wood and metal that would lead up to Harry. Peter, his little monkey, did it easily as if he was born to climb. When Harry saw him join him on the cliffside, he pulled the knife out of the doll in shock and turned to him. 

Steve used this chance to turn back to Norman and punch him again and again. He heard Peter and the other kid grunting as they probably had their own brawl up there. Harry should have been thankful he had the power of the stone on his side because Peter was a scrappy one. 

“Come on, Steve!” Tony shouted from the sideline, throwing his own punches. “Hit him!” 

Steve hit him so hard that the minecart toppled over and they both rolled out on the dirt. They wrestled through the dust until Steve felt that sharp pain in his thigh now and he shouted, falling to his side. He wheezed through the pain and looked up to where he saw Harry last. Where was Peter if he couldn’t stop Harry from stopping the doll again? Was he okay? 

Steve was lifted up again and thrown immediately to a conveyor belt that was bringing large stones to be crushed by a steamroller at the end. Steve didn’t have the strength to roll over with the pain in his leg. 

Norman jumped on top of him, since he could only win when Steve was distracted by the doll and pinned him to the belt. He wailed on his face again and again. Steve saw stones fly over them and some even hit Norman. Tony’s yelling accompanied them. “Get off him, you big lug!” 

The pain was gone again and quickly, Steve rolled up and punched Norman in the chest. Now it was Steve’s turn to straddle him and mess up his face with punches. He heard Tony cheering and smiled. 

He could see them getting closer to the roller, but he had a few more seconds to knock him out before Steve rolled them off so neither of them were crushed. But just before he could send the last punch that would surely knock him out, the stabbing was back. This time right in his heart. 

Steve screamed louder than ever and convulsed on the belt as he tried to catch his breath. Norman laughed at him as he stood up and put his foot down on his already burning chest. He could hear the roller and he knew it was only inches away. Tony was screaming and it almost sounded like he was crying too. But Steve really didn’t fear that roller about to crush his skull. He knew that had to hurt less than the piercing in his heart. 

They were so close that his hat start to get crushed under the roller. Steve squeezed his eyes shut and hoped that Peter wasn’t watching and that Tony would take care of him after he was gone. 

But then, just before it was too late, his heart was free. Steve gasped in a quick breath and rolled Norman off of him, throwing them both to the ground. Then he heard Peter screaming from above. “Fire! Fire makes him good!” 

Steve remembered Peter poking his side with a burning torch and that was what broke him from the spell. Tony was one step ahead of him and came over with a torch that he jabbed right into Norman’s chest. Norman shouted in pain, but Steve watched the gold flicker out of his eyes before collapsing to his side. 

Steve got up and lifted him up to his feet even though he wasn’t ready. “Get your son and get out of here.” 

Norman looked at him like a real human for the first time since meeting him. “W-What?”

“Just get Harry and run!” 

Norman nodded and turned to the side of the cliff where Peter was scaling down it. Harry was up at the top still, cryin out to Norman. “Dad!” 

“I’ll be rght there, son!” He screamed. He glanced at Steve for a quick moment to say, “Thank you.” before he ran off to get his son. 

Steve did the same thing and held his arms up for Peter. He let go even though he was still too far from the ground and Steve caught him easily. He carried him over to a minecart by Tony and dropped him inside. 

“We have to take the left tunnel to get out!” Peter informed him. 

Stev just nodded and turned to make sure Tony was running towards the cart as well. He was but so were four guards. Steve ran towards him and immediately started to fight them to give Tony a chance to get free. “Get in the cart with Pip!”

Tony shook his head and turned around to help take on two of the guards. “I’m not leaving you!” 

“I”ll be right there. Just get that kid going!” Steve swung his leg and took down one of the guards, causing him to smack his head against a rock and pass out. 

“But--!” 

“Ah!” Peter screamed and both of them turned around to see his cart being held by a huge guard. 

“Go!” Steve screamed, trusting him to save Peter. 

Thankfully, he didn’t argue and ran over to hit the guard in the back of the head with a rock. Steve turned back to his own fight, hoping Tony had theirs handled. He finished off the three other guards before he heard another group come storming down one of the tunnels. Knowing Steve wouldn’t win that fight, he turned and ran towards the cart. Tony was running to give it a start before jumping in. Steve waited for it to pass him before he jumped in with the three of them. 

It was small with the three of them and Peter was squished between Tony and Steve, but it was starting to move fast and it was going to get them out of here. 

“Left tunnel!” Peter screamed as the cart screeched along the rails. “Left tunnel, Stevie!” 

But Steve couldn’t change its course as it sailed into the right tunnel. That wasn’t his biggest worry when he heard all of the shouting behind them. The cart was balanced dangerously on the rails as it flew through the tunnels. It was almost like that deathtrap on Coney Island Peter was always begging Steve to take him on. 

By the fear on Peter’s face and the way he was screaming as bullets started coming their way, Steve doubted he’d be begging to do that any time soon. He pushed him down so that he wouldn’t be a target and took the brake out of his hand. 

“Captain Rogers, too fast!” 

“We have to let go!” Steve yelled back to be heard over the loud noises echoing in the tunnel. “It’s our only way to lose them!” 

When they took a turn a little too fast, they were only one two wheels and Tony was digging his fingers into his waist as he held on tight. Once they settled again, Stev turned back towards Peter. “Alright. Tony, take the brakes. Watch it on the curves or we’ll fly right off the tracks.” 

“Really?” Tony said, sarcasm in his voice. “I wouldn’t have guessed.” 

“Told you!” Peter added. 

“Just do it!” Steve yelled, moving to the back so he could see the men behind them chasing. Peter kept sticking his head up, and Steve felt safer knowing that he was between him and the bullets. While he was back there, he grabbed a piece of wood from the cart and threw it onto the tracks. 

The cart behind them hit the wood and flipped over, taking the wood to the ground below, hundreds of feet into what was probably more lava. Peter cheered him on, but unfortunately, another cart came zooming down the track taking its place with more Chitauri on it. 

Stev grabbed the shovel in the cart and used it to hit the ceiling above them as they passed, causing some of it to come down on the cart behind them. That didn’t stop them, but the sand now covering their eyes stopped them from seeing the turn coming and they didn’t brake in time before they were flipping off the rails. 

“Bye bye!” Peter yelled, waving down at them. 

Before another cart could catch up again, Steve used that same chovel to hit a switch on the ground that would turn the track they were leading to. “What’re you doing?” Tony yelled. 

“Short cut!” Steve yelled, hoping it wasn’t too late to turn left. However, when their cart broke through wood labeled danger in red paint. 

"Oh, no," Peter said as below them glowed red with lava. Then another cart came in the tunnel on the rail besides them. Stebe groaned as Peter said again, "Oh, no."

Steve willed their cart to go faster without touching the brakes because he didn't want to risk tipping over now that they would definitely fall into lava. 

The Chitauri didn't have that same worry as they sped to their side, close enough to reach over and grab Peter right from the cart. Which, they tried to, but there was no way in hell Steve was letting him go. 

The Chitauri had a hold on his arms while Steve held onto his legs. Tony glanced back to see what the commotion was about and shouted, "Peter!" 

"Just keep the brakes!" Steve yelled. "I've got him!" 

The tracks began to move farther apart from each other and soon, Peter was spread over the lava as he cried out for Steve. 

"I've got you, Pip!" He yelled back, keeping his ankles tight in his hands. If the others let go of Peter's wrists, at least he would have him dangling by his legs. 

He hoped they would get bored once they realized Steve wasn't going to let go, but they turned to face forward where a rock was coming between the two tracks. Then they turned back to face Steve and grinned. They were planning to hold him long enough to hit that rock and either the rock calling with his head at this speed would kill him or he'd fall into the lava below. 

Peter knew the same thing and started to cry out louder. "Stevie! Help me!"

Even Tony reached a hand not holding the brakes to try and pull Peter out of their grasp. Nothing worked. 

Steve turned to Tony and whispered, "Hold on tight to him. Do not let go." 

Tony nodded his head feverishly before Steve let go of his ankles and the only thing keeping Peter with them was Tony's hold on his foot. 

"Stevie! What are you doing?" Peter cried once he felt Steve let go of him. 

Steve quickly leaned over and grabbed a rock that had fallen into their cart along the ride. He had one shot and hurled it forward so it hit the man holding Peter right in the face. 

This caused him to shout in pain and let go of Peter to hold his face. He messed up the balance of their cart and set it flipping off the tracks. 

Peter would have followed them down to the lava if Tony hadn't been holding him. Instead, he was dangling from the side as they rode, that rock still coming up soon. 

"He's slipping!" Tony grunted as Steve pushed himself up and leaned outside the cart. He was careful not to flip them as well as he pulled Peter up safely into his arms just before they flew past the rock. 

Steve cradled him against his chest and hushed him gently as he cried. "You're okay," Steve promised. "You're okay." 

"Ahhhh!" A sudden warcry had Steve glancing up to see a man jump from a cart on a rail above them into their cart. He landed on top of Tony, but before Steve could let go of Peter to knock the guy off, Tony used one punch to send the guy flying. 

At the shocked look on Steve's face, Tony shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I'm not always a damsel, you know."

Steve smiled. "Of course, doll." He let go of Peter, but Peter didn't loosen his hold on him. "How about we start braking a little bit?"

Tony nodded and started to push on the brakes, but then, of course, the brake snapped off. "Oh, shit," Tony said, holding a broken brake in his hand.

Peter pointed in front of their cart to a dead-end coming up. "We're gonna crash! Too fast!" 

They only had seconds before they did and with nothing else to stop them, Steve grabbed Tony and pulled him in close so he had both Peter and Tony in his arms as their cart hit the metal stopper and they were thrown from the cart. 

Tony didn't stay in his arms, but Peter did because he was small enough to hold and that kid's death grip didn't loosen. Steve hit the ground first, taking the brunt of the hit in the rocks and then they rolled on the rocky ground until they came to a stop. 

Steve groaned as he opened his eyes and looked down at Peter, who was still curled up kn his chest. "You alright, Pipsqueak?" 

Peter was staring at him with wide brown eyes as he nodded his head. 

Steve turned to look at Tony who was laying on his side a few feet away. "What about you, doll?" 

"I'm going to kill you," he muttered back. 

"Yeah. You're alright." Steve slowly got to his feet and helped stand Peter up, who was shaking on his legs from all the fright he was going through. 

But then a sudden rushing of water caught his attention and Steve realized the tunnels were about to be flooded by that wall of water rushing towards them. Someone must have broken the water tower, knowing it would drown the three of them in the mines. 

Steve started shoving Peter towards a crack in the wall and leaned down to grab Tony's hand as they hurried. "We gotta go. Get up. Get up." 

Despite the bleeding gash on Tony's forehead, he pushed himself up and hurried to the opening as well. They were just in time before the water shot through the tunnel and out the hole in the wall. 

The hole opened up to nothing,, not even a platform for them to stand on. Just a canyon full of water. 

Steve got separated from Peter as they moved to the sides on the cliff to avoid the water pressure that would have thrown them off the rocks. 

They kept their backs against the cliffside, but the water pressure only continued to break the walls of the mountain and blow holes in other places. 

Steve tried to avoid falling, but slipped on mud and just barely grabbed a ledge. On the other side of the original opening, he saw Tony holding Peter against his side to make sure he didn't fall. "Go!" Steve shouted to the two of them. "Get to the bridge!" 

Once they started going towards the bridge, because their route was much safer, Steve focused on getting up himself. He would have to find another way to get there and not fall into the waters below. The drop would kill him. 

He continued on, scaling the mountain and doing his best to avoid any more streams of water. It wasn't long but still felt like forever before he was finally at the top on solid ground. Then he immediately started running to find the bridge and meet up with Tony and Peter. 

Of course he was stopped along the way by more Chitauri with large swords. He didn't have his whip anymore to fight, but there was a vine on the ground that would work just as well. 

So he picked it up and skillfully knocked the swords from their hands and sent them falling off the cliff to the water below. 

He sighed in relief for a moment before he heard thundering footsteps and saw a herd of Chitauri coming his way. There was no way he could outright all of them. So he grabbed one of the forgotten swords and ran. 

He ran to the bridge where he saw Tony and Peter just getting off the other side...right to where Justin Hammer and more Chitauri were waiting. Just was one of the guards without that glow. He did all this evil on his own free will, which made him even more dangerous than the others.

Justin's men grabbed Tony and Peter and held swords to their throats. Steve immediately stopped running along the bridge.

The men chasing him followed, closing the distance between them, effectively trapping Steve in the middle of the rickety bridge. 

"Let them go, Hammer!" 

"You are in no position to give orders!" Justin yelled back, walking closer to Tony and Peter.

"Watch your back!" Tony yelled to Steve even the creep threaded a hand through his hair.

Steve glanced behind him and saw they were rapidly getting closer and soon they'd be right there. He had no time, but he had to do something. 

So, he held the bag of stones over the edge where they could fall into the water full of crocodiles, never to be seen again. "You want the stones? Let them go!"

Justin only laughed. "Drop them, Captain Rogers. They will be found! You will not be!"

As he laughed the men behind him rushed forward. Peter screamed out, "Stevie, no!" 

Steve knew he couldn't fight them all off with one sword so he held it up and yelled to Peter, "Hey, Pipsqueak! Remember that time when you tied sheets out your bedroom window to climb down?" 

Peter nodded his head shakily. 

"Remember how you held on tight so you didn't fall?" 

Peter nodded his head again, finally understanding. He grabbed onto the rope acting as a railing. Tony watched Peter curiously as he wrapped a loose rope around his wrist. Then it dawned on him just what Steve was about to do. He kept an arm wrapped around Peter but immediately grabbed onto the bridge too. 

"Oh, my God!" He screamed. "You're insane!"

Peter shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. "He's not insane, he's crazy!" 

Steve raised his sword above his head and said, "Hammer, prepare to meet Thanos! In Hell!" 

Then he brought the sword down on the rope again and again until it snapped in half. Many of the Chitauri fell into the water below, screaming, but Steve held on tight along with Peter and Tony. 

The bridge was now more like a rope ladder leading up to the top of the cliff. Tony and Peter were above him, along with Hammer too. Thankfully, only four managed to hold on, including Hammer. The rest were in the water below as crocodile food or on the other side of the cliff.

"Go!" Steve shouted. "Get up there!" 

Tony sent his heel into someone's head as he tried grabbing his foot, causing one of them to fall to the water below. Steve narrowly moved out of the way just before he could take him down with him. 

Hammer was by Steve and stepped on his fingers, trying to get him to let go as he started climbing up the ladder. 

He got to Peter and Tony's feet and tried grabbing Peter's ankle. Peter stumbled, but Tony grabbed him before he could fall and then kicked him in the face again and again until he let go and fell down. 

But he landed right on Steve and he stopped his fall. Steve shoved him off of him as he tried grabbing the bag off his shoulder with the stones. "The stones are mine, Captain!" 

Steve tried to move out of his way, but there was no way for him to go so he couldn't stop Justin from sticking his hand into the bag and pulling out one of the stones. 

Justin smirked and held it up as he started to chant his prayer to Thanos. The stone glowed just like it always did in that statue they kept it in, but once it started to glow, Justin stopped chanting to scream. His body glowed along with the purple stone and Steve could see his face coming apart into charred pieces. The sight horrified Steve to see up close and even though he knew the power of the stones, he didn't know  _ this  _ was included. 

Before long, Justin was just...dust, but Steve could still hear echoes of his screams. 

Without him there to hold it, the stone started to fall and Steve didn't know if it was instinct or if it was because he knew Wakanada needed their stone, but he reached out and grabbed it before it could disappear into the water.

And immediately, the burning began and so did his screams. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for that cliff hanger! Not really tho


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the epilogue! Short but I hope you enjoy!

Steve should have fallen. He would have fallen if Peter hadn't grabbed his hand, and Peter would have fallen if Tony hadn't grabbed his. 

It all happened so quick that Steve had no time to process it all, but looking back, Peter should have been screaming too. Beating the weight of Steve while Tony held him by one arm should have ripped them from his sockets. In fact, Peter shouldn't have even been able to hold onto Steve.

But Steve was preoccupied with other things...like the fact that they were surrounded by a purple smoke and they were floating right off the ladder. 

He didn't feel like he was on fire anymore, but he felt something  _ powerful.  _ He looked around at the Chitauri that were left and they stared up at the three of them with wide eyes. 

It was as easy as wishing the evil away for the gold in their eyes to disappear and then they all fell to the ground in a heap. 

The three of them landed safely on the ground and then the purple faded away as the stone grew cold in his hand. 

Steve blinked his eyes a few times as he tried ro process what the fuck just happened. He looked over at Peter to make sure he was okay. He was staring up at Steve with the same wide eyes he probably had. His hair was sticking up like it was full of static electricity. Letting out a relieved chuckle, Steve smoothed it down before glancing over at Tony.

Tony looked just as freaked as Steve felt. "You know, before all this, I didn't believe in magic. I believed in science." 

Steve scoffed as he looked around them at the men that were waking up from the trance. "What do you think now?" 

Tony hesitated. "Might have to rethink that stance now." 

"You better believe, mister! Did you see us  _ flying?"  _ Peter jumped up to his feet, waving his arms wildly. 

Steve shook his head with a smile as he studied the rock briefly before sticking it in the bag. "Well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad." 

"Oh, yeah!" Peter said, turning back to Steve. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small doll that had been used to give him the pain. "I brought little Stevie so no one could hurt you again! Oh! And so I can do this too!" Peter hugged the doll tightly before glancing up at him. "You feel that?" 

Steve did feel a little warmer. "Sure do, Pip." 

"Can I see that?" Tony plucked the doll from Peter's hands and flicked his belly. 

Steve winced when he felt the sharp pain. "The hell is that for?" 

"For trying to sacrifice me in a pit of lava!" 

"But I didn't," Steve pointed out, reaching for the doll. 

"'Cus I saved both of you!" Peter exclaimed proudly. 

Steve grabbed the doll from Tony's hand and laughed. "Sure did, Pip. You saved the day." He ripped the fabric of his chest and pulled out the red stone inside of it. He slipped that stone in the bag with the other two and then tested the doll by squeezing the arm. He felt nothing. 

"Is the bad gone?" Peter asked, tugging on his arm to get a better look. 

"Sure is." 

"Can I keep him?" Peter asked, bouncing on his feet. 

Steve arched one eyebrow at him but handed the doll over anyway. "Sure, kid." 

Peter squeezed it in a hug as Steve stood up to his feet. Steve held his hand out for Peter to take as he started to walk. "Well, now that the fun part's over, what do you say we give the stones back and bring those kids home?" 

Tony came up close to them as they started their long trek back. "Stones? Thought they only lost one. Don't you wanna bring back the other two?" 

"We've seen the power that they're capable of. I don't think I want a bunch of men poking and prodding to see how they work." He patted the bag as he slung it over his shoulder. "I think Wakanda will take much better care of them." 

Tony walked a little closer so their shoulders brushed as they walked. "What about your fortune and glory?" 

Steve looked down at Peter, the kid that copied his every move to always be like him, and then back at Tony, who was worth more to him than any diamond in the world. He leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek as he squeezed Peter's hand gently. "I've got more than enough right here." 

Tony raised his eyebrows. "Oh, really? You think I'm yours? I already told you, Captain. I'm heading back to Italy the second I get the chance." 

Steve moved his arm to wrap around Tony's waist and pull him close. "We'll see about that, doll. It's a long way home. Who knows what could happen." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes, there will be more in this series:)

**Author's Note:**

> Until next time,


End file.
